Tea in Wonderland
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: A yugioh version of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland 2010. Nineteen-year-old Tea Gardner cannot seem to fit in with her society. What will happen when she falls into a world of madness where anything is possible? Disclaimers inside.
1. Can't Fit In

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH BY KAZUKI TAKAHASHI, ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2010 WRITTEN BY LINDA WOOLVERTAN DIRECTED BY TIM BURTION, OR THE ORIGINAL ALICE IN WONDERLAND BY LEWIS CARROLL**

**PLEASE READ TO UNDERSTAND**

**CAST**

**The characters that were animals in the movie are no longer animals. They are the human characters :).**

** Alice: Tea**

**Mad Hatter: Yami (Revolutionshipping! I may add more YamixTea scenes :)**

**Cheshire Cat: Yami Bakura (Kitty XD! He's human, but a shapeshifter)**

**March Hare: Joey**

**Door Mouse: Yugi**

**Red Queen: Vivian**

**White Queen: Ishizu**

**White Rabbit: Ryo**

**Stayne the Knave: Yami Marik**

**Bandersnatch: Red-Eyes Black Dragon**

**Absolem: Seto Kaiba (he sits on blue-eyes instead of a mushroom)**

**Alice's mother: Aerona Gardner (Made-up name for Tea's mom XD)**

**Alice's father: Gareth Gardner (same as the mother's name)**

**Hamish: Weevil **

**Tweedle-dee, Tweedle-dum: Noah, Mokuba**

**Bayard: Silver Fang **

**Twin girls: Serenity and her twin, Shizuka (again, made-up)**

**Alice's sister: Mai, but they aren't sisters in this**

**Jabberwocky=Jabberwocky**

**The ending to this fic will be completely different from the movie :). There are things in the beginning that I left out so that Tea has no reason to want to return to the human world. I've also made her mother HORRIBLE (again, a reason not to return) and she does not have a sister. Except for the parts I changed, I am trying to follow the movie line-for-line, however some things may be changed, added, or omitted. Enjoy :)!**

Six-year-old Tea Gardner sat up in bed with a yelp, breathing heavily and looking around. She was herself again—petite, porcelain skin, chocolate hair, and sapphire eyes. She was back in her home—a large, beautiful estate filled with elegant decor, plush furniture, and the welcoming smell of old books. She was in her room—pale white wallpaper with tiny blue flowers, pretty, pale pink furniture, dolls and teddy bears, and sketches she had drawn herself of the strange world and creatures she saw in her dreams….her nightmares…..nightmares….

The girl had had one such horrible dream just now. Once again she was falling….falling…. falling into that grotesque world full of color and strange creatures the likes of which she'd never seen nor imagined. Tea would also see people….very strange people who somehow seemed familiar….but who were so queer that she though she SURELY could not have met them before. Each time she'd fall….and the world would show its queer beauty….before twisting into a horrid image of darkness, contorted faces and people and…..fear.

Tea sat up, straightening out her flowered white nightdress which had become uncomfortably twisted by her nightmare-induced tossing about. She knew there was only one person who could comfort her now—her father, Gareth Gardner. Gareth was a patient, gentle, kind-hearted gentleman, with dark blonde hair and Tea' cerulean eyes. He always seemed to understand his little girl better than everyone else, especially Tea's difficult mother, Aerona.

The girl slipped noiselessly out of her bedroom and down the red-carpeted, portrait-filled hallway. Each picture depicted a deceased relative, each more unlikable than the next, and Tea could only hope that when she died, her picture wouldn't go up next to anybody she absolutely HATED.

Finally reaching her father's office, Tea stuck her little head in through the doorway. Gareth was currently conducting a business meeting with three other men who the girl vaguely recognized from previous visits: One was known as Sid, a man with unnatural-looking red hair who always wore perfectly round glasses. Another, a very large individual with a black, spiked mullet and bushy eyebrows, was named Zigor, and was about as dim-witted as his "macho" name suggested. The last was a very short little man who's REAL name Tea did not know, but was referred to as "Bonz". He had sickly white skin and a skeletally gaunt face that gave her nightmares the first time she saw it.

At first, the men seemed not to notice their young visitor, caught up in a slightly heated conversation. They were scolding Gareth about an "impossible venture" and saying that he had "finally lost his senses".

Gareth, however, simply gave his smile glinting with a slight spark of mischievousness and replied, "Gentlemen….the only way to achieve the impossible is to believe that it is indeed possible."

"THAT kind of thinking will RUIN you," Sid scoffed.

"I'm willing to take that risk."

They went on talking for a few moments until Tea stepped fully into the doorway. All four men turned to look at her and she felt suddenly afraid, sensing the hostility from three of them. The fourth however, her father, simply cocked his head with concern and asked,

"The nightmare again?"

The little girl nodded, her pink lips trembling slightly.

Gareth turned to his associates and said, "I won't be long," before going and taking his child into his arms. As he carried her back to her bedroom, Tea snuggled deeper into his arms, clinging to the essence of kindness and optimism that radiated from his body.

Turning on a small bedside lamp, Mr. Gardner placed the girl in her plush bed and pulled the thick blanket over her petite form.

"Tell me about it," he murmured softly.

Tea thought for a moment and took a shaky breath. "I'm falling….down a dark hole….then I see strange people."

"What people?"

"Well…." The brunette bit her lip. "There's a boy with long white hair….he wears a waistcoat and is always very quiet and nervous…there's another one who looks a lot like him….same hair, same color eyes….but he seems older and always wears this big, kinda scary smile…..and there's another small boy…..big, purple eyes….hair that looks like a star…and a high voice…."

Gareth squeezed her tiny hand and smiled. "I didn't know people could make their hair look like stars….."

"Neither did I…." the girl continued, "And…..there's this brown-haired man with the bluest eyes I've ever seen…..he always wears a long, white coat and sits on top of a large white dragon….."

Her father scratched his chin in contemplation. "White dragon….? Hmmmm….."

Tea's cerulean eyes widened with fear. "Do you think I've….gone round the bend…? She squeaked.

Gareth reached up and felt her forehead with his knuckles. Recoiling his hand, the man whispered, "I'm afraid so…..you're mad…bonkers…off your head…but I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."

The little girl giggled as her father smiled and brushed her chocolate bangs from her face. "It was only a dream, Tea. Nothing can harm you there. But if you get too frightened…you can always wake up like this…." He reached out and gently pinched her arm.

Tea laughed. "Ow…."

Gareth smiled, stroked her velvety cheek and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before turning down the lamp.

**Thirteen Years Later….**

It was a rather dreary morning for nineteen-year-old Tea Gardner as she sat in an ebony-wooded coach, grimacing each time a bump in the uneven road jostled the primitive vehicle. She was a beauty—porcelain skin, chocolate hair just above her shoulders that had been tied into an elegant bun, sparkling azure eyes, and a slender form. She was wearing a light blue dress decorated with white ruffles and gauzy blue gloves that left her delicate fingers uncovered. All in all she was beautiful….and miserable.

Tea was trapped in a carriage with her mother, Aerona, who was adamant that she already be married to a lord. Her father had died quite a while back….and with him died her confidant, guardian, and dearest friend.

Muttering crossly to herself, Aerona reached out and began tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her daughter's ears. She often reprimanded Tea for not letting her hair grow excessively long like "proper young ladies did"….but this analogy only made the girl more adamant on keeping it above her shoulders. Finally having enough primping, Tea scowled and pulled away from her mother's picky grasp, saying,

"MUST we go? I doubt they'll notice if we never arrive…."

"They WILL notice," Aerona snapped, reaching out and straightening the brunette's dress at the torso. "Where is your corset?"

The girl averted her gaze and Aerona lifted up the hem of her dress, revealing….bare legs.

"And no STOCKINGS!"

"I'm against them," Tea replied simply.

"But you're not properly dressed!"

"Who's to say what is proper?" The blue-eyed beauty snapped. "What if it was agreed that 'proper' was wearing a codfish on your head? Would you wear it? To me a corset is like a codfish."

"TEA GARDNER! I WILL NOT HAVE THIS ATTITUDE FROM YOU TODAY! Aerona shrieked.

"Father would have laughed…." Tea muttered and settled back in her seat.

_"I'm not just grumpy about these clothes or this ridiculous gathering…_" the girl thought. _"I'm so tired…couldn't sleep last night. I always have the same dream…I wonder if that's normal? Don't most people have different dreams…?"_

Tea could feel her mother's scrutinizing glare and didn't even look up when she reached over and fastened a necklace around the girl's neck.

"There…" Mrs. Gardner huffed. "Now you are SOMEWHAT presentable….would it kill you to smile?"

Tea shot her a quick look of contempt before giving a slight, closed-mouth grin that faded as quickly as it appeared. For they had finally arrived at their destination, where Tea would want to do ANYTHING but smile.

It was the Underwood Estate, a large mansion that sat on a beautiful stretch of land….but was owned by the most UNLIKABLE people. Sullen-faced, Tea followed her mother along a pebbled path on a slight incline that allowed viewing of the party below. People in stiff suits and fancy dresses were scattered about, standing on the lawn or sitting at small tables covered by parasols.

The mother-daughter duo finally reached the host and hostess of the party at the end of the path, neither of which looked too pleased.

"At last…" Mrs. Underwood scowled. "We thought you'd NEVER arrive." She was a woman about Mrs. Gardner's age with bluish-green hair and eyes that were always cold and narrow. She stood with her spectacled husband who was probably unlikable….but not positively so, since he never spoke two words.

Mrs. Underwood turned to the brunette. "Tea, Weevil is waiting to dance with you. GO."

Tea suppressed a grimace and walked down to the party. In the middle of the lawn, there was a large stone square and near it, several musicians played classical music. It was set up for dancing….and Tea was convinced that she had the WORST possible dance partner.

Weevil Underwood. He was a boy her age with hair exactly like his mother's and large glasses like his father. He had a high, screechy voice and an insect fetish….as well as an overly sour personality.

Tea stood in front of Weevil while everyone else took their places. The dancers bowed to each other, and began the orderly dance. Trying not to cringe at the fact that Weevil was holding her hand, the brunette inquired,

"Weevil, do you ever tire of quadrille?"

"On the contrary…" the bug boy replied, "I find it most invigorating."

_"Most BORING is more like it…"_ Tea thought and remained silent for a few moments.

Suddenly, the girl giggled.

"Do I amuse you?"

"No…" the brunette smiled. "I had a sudden vision of all the ladies in trousers and the men wearing dresses…."

Weevil wrinkled his nose. "I think you'll do best to keep your visions to yourself. When in doubt, remain silent."

His arm slid around Tea's waist and the girl gave an inaudible sigh, searching for something else to distract her. She saw an orderly group of geese in the sky, soaring peacefully….not a care in the world. She yelped when she bumped into another passing couple.

"Pardon us sir," Weevil lamented. "Miss Gardner is distracted today." He grabbed Tea and roughly turned her to face him. "Where is your head?"

Tea shrugged. "I was wondering what it would be like to fly."

"Why would you waste your time thinking about such an impossible thing?"

"Why wouldn't I?" the girl shot back. "My father said he sometimes believed in six impossible things before breakfast."

Weevil did not seem to be paying attention. He looked at his mother who signaled something to him, then turned back to his partner.

"Tea… meet me under the gazebo in precisely ten minutes."

The girl gave him a questioning look, but he walked away without explanation. A soft giggle made Tea turn around and behold the twin girls, Serenity and Shizuka. They were each dressed in identical white dresses with only different colored stripes to tell them apart.

"We have a secret to tell you!" Shizuka grinned.

Tea arched an eyebrow, saying, "If you're telling me, then it's not much of a secret."

"Perhaps we shouldn't…" Serenity murmured.

"We decided we would," her twin replied.

"If we tell her, she won't be surprised."

"Will you be surprised?"

The brunette said, "Not if you tell me. But now that you've brought it up, you have to."

Shizuka grinned. "No we don't."

"In fact, we won't," Serenity completed.

"Oh really?" a crafty smile played on Tea's lips. "I wonder if your mother knows you two swim naked in the Pegasus' pond."

Both girls paled. "You wouldn't…."

"Oh, but I would. There's your mother right now."

Serenity cringed and blurted out, "Weevil is going to ask for your hand!"

"You've RUINED the surprise!"

Tea gasped as someone suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It was Mai Valentine, a beautiful blonde-haired woman who Tea almost considered a friend out of all the people at the party. Wrapping an arm around the younger girl's shoulders, Mai stormed off, muttering, "I could just STRANGLE them….everyone went to so much effort to keep the secret…"

Tea swallowed hard. "Does….does EVERYONE know…?"

"It's why they've all come. This is your engagement party. Weevil will ask you under the gazebo. When you say yes—"

"But I don't know if I want to marry Weevil!" Tea interrupted, her face paling.

Mai looked confused. "Who then? You won't do better than a lord. You'll soon be twenty, Tea. That pretty face of yours won't last forever. You don't want to be a burden on your mother, do you? Of course not. So you'll marry Weevil and you'll be as happy as I am with my husband. Your life will be perfect."

"Tea, dear?"

Both girls jumped when Mrs. Underwood suddenly appeared before them.

"I'll leave you to it," Mai smiled and walked away.

Arching a green eyebrow, the woman asked, "Shall we take a leisurely stroll through the garden, just you and me?"

A few moments later, Tea was walking though the rose-filled hedge maze, her hand firmly in Mrs. Underwood's grasp.

"Do you know what I've always dreaded?" the woman asked.

Tea shrugged. "The decline of the aristocracy?"

"Ugly grandchildren. But you're LOVELY. You're bound to produce little…imbeciles!"

Mrs. Underwood stopped suddenly and stared at the flower bush. "The gardeners have planted white roses when I specifically asked for red!"

"You could always paint the roses red…" Tea ventured to suggest.

Mrs. Underwood furrowed her brows. "What an odd thing to say….anyway, you should know that my Weevil has extremely delicate digestion…."

Tea was only half listening and gasped when she saw a flash of white round the corner of the hedge up ahead. "Did you see that?" she inquired. "It was a rabbit I think…"

"Nasty things…." Her future mother-in-law scowled. "I do enjoy setting the dogs on them."

Tea gave her a look of horror to which she paid no attention.

"If you serve Weevil the wrong foods, he could get a blockage…."

The girl gasped again, this time seeing that it was not a rabbit….but had a larger form. "Did you see it that time?" she exclaimed.

Mrs. Underwood scolded, "Don't shout! Now, pay attention. Weevil said you were easily distracted. What was I saying?"

"Weevil has a blockage…" Tea's eyes lit up. For peeking at her around the corner…was not an animal….but a white-haired boy. Separating from Mrs. Underwood she said, "I couldn't be MORE interested, but you MUST excuse me…"

The blue-eyed beauty took off through the garden and back out into the party. Through the throngs of people, she could see little flashes of white here and there….but never could seem to lock onto them. Just as she was about to take off again, someone grabbed her arm.

"There you are!" Weevil scolded and began hauling her off. "Come, we're going to be late."

When they arrived under the gazebo, Tea could feel her hands shaking with nervousness. Elegant music was playing, an artist was painting a portrait of her and her supposed fiancée, and at least a hundred people were standing there….staring.

Weevil dropped down to one knee and took her hands in his.

"Tea Gardner….will you be my wife?" he gave her a grin that was an utterly unpleasant attempt at looking….pleasant.

"Well…." Tea croaked, her throat growing dry as she looked out at the crowd. "Everyone expects me to….and you're a lord…my face won't last…but…" she recoiled her hands. "This is happening so quickly, I..."

Tea gasped when she heard the sound of a clock ticking and turned to see…..that white-haired boy in the waistcoat, holding a pocket watch and beckoning to her.

"I think I…..need a moment."

With that, the girl took off through the garden, pursuing her strange visitor. He led her completely away from the estate and into the woods, and it was quite an arduous flight as he seemed to know EXACTLY where he was going….but Tea did not. She pushed aside trees and brambles, getting her hair caught and cursing her unpractical dress.

Finally she saw the boy turn and run around the base of a large tree. The girl followed him….and gasped when she saw a large, gaping hole at the trunk. Fearing he'd fallen into it. Tea dropped to her knees and leaned over the opening.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

Tea strove to see into the pit….but it was pitch black and appeared to have no end. She slid her hand farther along the rim, leaning in to get a better look.

THAT…..was the precise moment that the vine the girl was holding snapped…..and she fell into the dark abyss.

**There's chapter one! I hope you liked it and please review. Please no flames :). I just want to say, by the way, that I noticed that for my last two fics, the characters' parents have been awful. I am in NO WAY writing them like that from personal experience (my parents and I have an awesome relationship :). Just wanted to clarify for my own mental peace that I'm not slamming parents, I just needed Tea's mom to be mean in this :). Also, I know that I left out some scenes that were in the movie, but they aren't necessary for this story.**

**BlackRose: See, Sid? I told you I'd give you lines.**

**Yami: Now can I?**

**BlackRose: *rolling her eyes* if you must…"**

**Yami: *looks at Sid* MIND CRUSH!**

**Sid: I never saw France! *collapses***

**Yami: Bullying is just wrong. Destroying minor characters' minds with magical powers is A-okay!**

**Ryo: I say, chaps, I'M in this fic too!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	2. The Wrong Tea?

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter two! I forgot to mention that instead of the Red Queen's card soldiers and White Queen's chess soldiers, I'm going to have Vivian command an army of duel monsters like zombies, fiends, dark, etc., and the "good" monsters will be under Ishizu's control.**

**Dany14-black8: Gracias :)! I will probably add more YamixTea scenes :).**

**Sailorblaze: Thanks XD! I made Yami Marik the knave because I didn't want poor Hikari Marik to end up with Vivian again lol. I agree with you about Yami Marik being funnier as the March Hare. I made Joey the Hare because he and Hatter seem to be good friends like Yami and Joey :).**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! I like your idea with the White Queen very much by the way :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Haha, so do I, poor Tea XD. It is going to be interesting and I'm not sure how I'm going to do Revolutionshipping yet lol. Don't worry, I thought the Hatter's break dancing was COMPLETELY idiotic (no offence if anyone else reading this liked it:) so I won't make Yami "Fudderwacken" XD.**

**Sara Darkotter: Thanks for your advice, I'll try to change the dialogue a little bit :). And about the rewriting movies—I'm doing it because it's fun XD.**

**ImmortalAngel92: Thanks :)! **

**BlackRose: *Grinning* I finally remembered to put you in the story!**

**Yugi: It's a Christmas miracle XD!**

**Hikari Marik: HEY! WHAT ABOUT ME!**

**BlackRose: Uh, Vivian's waiting for you…**

**Vivian: BUY ME MORE JEWELRY!**

Tea screamed as she fell down through the hole….which was not so much a hole, but a passageway….to another world. She fell past the lamp-lit dirt walls covered in clocks of all shapes and sizes rapidly ticking to match the beat of the brunette's pounding heart.

The girl shrieked again when she slammed into a large, wooden bookcase, shielding her face as it threatened to fall on her. She passed a piano that seemed to leap off its shelf and fall with her, playing queer, contorted music while she fell.

Tea landed on a squeaky bed. It bounced her into the air once….before dropping her deeper into the abyss. She wondered if this passageway would ever end….or if she would just keep falling….falling into oblivion.

Fortunately, this idea never came to pass—for she crashed through a black and white tiled ceiling and hit the floor with a thud. Tea sat up and looked around in confusion. She was sitting…..but her hair was standing straight up as if she were hanging. Upon realizing this, the room seemed to turn upside down and she fell from the ceiling and crashed to the floor.

Groaning, the girl looked around for a moment before standing up. She was in a tiny, dim room with walls that looked incredibly old with paint peeling off them. Several doors occupied the walls, each one a different shape than the next.

Fighting back panic, Tea ran to the doors, her now freely-hanging brown hair swinging behind her as she went. She tried each knob…..but they were all locked. Biting her lip nervously, the brunette went over to a small glass table in the center of the room….and gasped when she spotted a small, rusted key.

Again, Tea tried each of the doors….but the key would not fit in any of the locks. She came across a curtain covering a portion of the wall and pushed it aside to reveal….a door that only a mouse could fit through. Shrugging, Tea knelt down, stuck the key in the lock….and it opened. Peering through to the other side, she could see a world full of grotesque color…but alas she could not fit her body through the tiny opening.

Sighing, the brunette sat back in defeat….but drew in a breath when she saw something else on the table. Climbing to her feet, she went over to investigate and found that it was a small bottle filled with some sort of bronze liquid. Around its top was a note that read, "Drink Me".

Tea popped the cork out and smelled it. It was sour and made her nose burn slightly…..but it was her only option.

"It's only a dream…" the girl muttered and drank from the bottle. She coughed at the bitter taste that left a burning sensation lingering in her throat…and yelped when a change came over her body.

She was shrinking, bit by bit, until her dress lay in a massive heap on top of her. Pulling herself out from underneath the large article, the girl fastened her silk under dress more securely and ran over to the tiny door. It was locked again.

Tea ran back over to the glass table. She could see the key through its translucent surface…but was too small to reach it. Looking around, the brunette spotted a small glass case that was just her tiny size lying on the floor. She picked it up and found a small, white cake inside that red, "Eat Me".

Shrugging, Tea took a bite and was relieved to find it sweet and chocolaty compared to the sour drink…but not so relieved to find herself growing at an alarming rate. Tea soared up higher and higher and did not stop until her head hit the ceiling. Cringing, the girl bent down, grabbed the key, and took another swig of the liquid, returning to her miniature size. Finally, she unlocked the tiny door…and stepped into a world of pure wonder.

Stepping down a set of stone stairs that were quite large due to her small size. She was in a world that almost appeared to be floating as the sky was visible on all sides rather than only in the air. Twisted trees and flowers of all colors, shapes, and sized dotted the landscape and strange creatures buzzed through the sweet-smelling air.

She walked beneath a giant metal gate, gasping as a few creatures that looked like little balls of fuzz with big eyes bounced past her.

"Wow…" the girl murmured and yelped when she was met by another group of visitors.

"See? I told you she's the right Tea" the strange white-haired boy said triumphantly, looking at his companions. Because of the "Drink Me" liquid, Tea looked rather like a doll compared to the others.

Another boy, this one with star-shaped hair and large purple eyes looked worriedly skeptical. "I don't know, Ryo…."

"How's THAT for gratitude…." The boy named Ryo muttered. "I've been upstairs for weeks, trailing one Tea after the next…..I almost got shot at least three times by dim-witted hunters who mistook me for a rabbit!"

The brunette gasped as a flower behind the others….spoke, saying, "She doesn't look ANYTHING like herself…."

The star-headed boy sighed. "That's because she's the wrong Tea…."

Two boys who looked about the same age, one with shaggy long black hair, the other with green hair, chimed in.

"If she was she might be…."

"If she isn't, she ain't…."

The black-haired one shot his brother a look. "But if she were so, she would be."

The green haired one shrugged. "But she isn't, nohow.

Finally, Tea found her voice. "How can I be the wrong Tea when this is my dream?"

Everyone gave her confused looks as she continued, "And by the way…who are you exactly?"

The green-haired boy replied, "Oh, I'm Noah and this is my little brother Mokuba."

"I am not!" Mokuba snapped. "I was born first!"

"No me!"

"ME!"

A large bird with golden feathers spoke up over the sibling's quarreling, "Perhaps we should consult Seto."

"Exactly," One of the flowers smiled. "He'll know who she is."

Mokuba ran up and grabbed one of Tea's tiny hands. "I'll escort you," he smiled.

His brother grabbed the other hand. "It's not your turn! So unfair!"

"Let go!"

"You let go!"

"Are they always this way?" Tea inquired, helplessly caught in a tug-of-war.

"Family trait," Ryo sighed. "You can BOTH escort her."

The strange group began wandering deeper into the jungle, passing more queer creatures and even a few giant multi-colored mushrooms. Watching more puff balls bounce by, Tea inquired,

"Who is this 'Seto'?"

"He's wise…." Ryo explained. "He's absolute.

"He's Seto!" the twins simultaneously added.

Eventually, they came to a smoke-filled clearing at the end of the path. Tea coughed and waved the smoke away….and beheld a gigantic white dragon. She yelped and clung to Ryo who laughingly said, "It's all right….she won't hurt you unless she has reason to."

It was then that the girl noticed a man sitting on the dragon's back. He was a little older than her with brown hair, electric blue eyes, and dressed in a long, black coat. Stroking his dragon's snowy scales, he inquired,

"Who are you?"

"Seto…?" Tea inquired curiously.

The man rolled his eyes. "You're not Seto, I'M Seto. Who are YOU?"

The dragon blew a puff of silvery smoke and Tea coughed.

"I-I'm Tea…"

"We shall see…."

Tea raised a brow. "What do you mean by that? I ought to know who I am…."

"Yes, you ought, stupid girl," Seto snapped back, then looked at the others. "Unroll the Oraculem."

Ryo took an aged scroll into his trembling hands, saying, "The Oraculem….being a calendrical compendium of Underland."

Tea ran her delicate fingers over the yellowed parchment and murmured, "It's….it's a calendar…"

"Compendium," Seto corrected. "It tells of each and every day since the Beginning."

The white-haired boy nodded. "Today is Griblig Day in the time of the Red Queen."

Tea gasped when she saw an illustration of her being shown the Oraculem drawn onto the paper.

"Show her the Frabjous Day," the dragon rider ordered.

"Mmm…yeah," Noah grinned, looking at the girl. "Frabjous, being the day you slay the Jabberwocky."

Tea's cerulean orbs widened. "Slay a…a what?"

"Oh, yes," Mokuba pointed to the illustration. "That is you there with the Vorpal Sword. No other sword can kill the Jabberwocky."

"If it ain't Vorpal, it ain't dead!" Noah completed.

The girl's hands began to shake as she stepped backwards. "That…..that's not me…."

"I told you!" The star boy cried indignantly.

Ryo sighed and kneaded his forehead with stressed fingers. "Resolve this for us, Seto. Is she the right Tea?"

"Not…..hardly…" Seto replied cryptically before his body was consumed by a cloud of smoke.

Tea began stepping backwards while the others advanced on her, looking slightly threatening.

"See? She is the wrong Tea!"

"Oh no…"

"See, I said so."

"I said so!"

"Shut up, Mokuba!"

"Shame on you! Pretending to be Tea!"

"I'm sorry!" the brunette finally cried. "I don't mean to be the wrong Tea!" She stopped as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Wait….this is MY dream and when I wake up you'll disappear." She reached over and pinched her exposed upper arm….nothing happened.

"That's odd…" Tea muttered. "Pinching usually works…."

Their quandary was cut short….when something suddenly crashed through a stone wall a few yards away. It was a dragon as big as the white one…..only with black scales, sharper features, and blood-red eyes.

"Red-eyes black dragon!" the others cried and took off.

Tea began running too, gasping when she saw other beings crawling out of the woodwork. They were horrible looking creatures—a green zombie, blue man with sunken in features, a little round thing covered in spikes with one gigantic eye…..and all of them were wearing red armor.

The fiends pulled out nets and began to snatch up the various creatures in the area. They seized the big gold bird, then grabbed Ryo by the arms, holding him down firmly. Tea desperately wanted to help…but she had issues of her own.

The black dragon was pursuing her relentlessly, crashing though tree limbs and relying on the soldiers' directions whenever it lost her. It shot out jets of black-flecked crimson flame, setting portions of the jungle ablaze.

Suddenly, Tea halted, remembering it was only a dream.

"Nothing here can hurt me…." She murmured as the dragon stopped directly in front of her. "It can't hurt me…can't hurt me…."

Red-eyes roared fiercely, hitting her face with hot, smoky breath.

"Run, girl, run!" Yugi cried. He leaped onto the creature's back, pulling out a gold-hilted rapier as he went. Climbing up to the dragon's head, he raised the blade and took out one of the beast's ruby eyes. It howled in agony, thrashing about and inadvertently slashing it's claws through Tea's arm.

The girl screamed in pain and finally returned to running though the jungle…to where, she did not know. The soldiers decided to let her, Yugi, and the twins escape, having found a greater prize. Their leader, a man named Marik with white, spiked hair, dark skin, silvery purple eyes, and dressed in black armor and a red cape, stepped forward.

He picked up the Oraculem and red its contents before stashing it away and mounting his armored horse. Without a word, he and the other soldiers took off with the wounded dragon—back to their TRUE master…or rather MISTRESS.

Flanked by Noah and Mokuba, Tea ran out of the jungle and into a different atmosphere. It was a barren land that looked as if it had been scorched, inhabited only by gnarled trees, dry soil, and crooked fences. The group approached a crossroad with a sign pointing in two different directions—Snud and Queast.

"This way," Noah took Tea's hand. "East to Queast."

Mokuba grabbed her other hand. "No, South to Snud!"

"This way!"

"That way!"

Tea yelped in pain as their pulling sent a jolt of pain zinging through her slashed arm. Suddenly, another shriek sounded through the air. The trio stopped all movement….and gasped as yet another dragon appeared on the scene. This one was mostly red with a few stripes of black….and looked almost as if it were made of roses. It snatched up the twins and began flying off, suspending them upside down.

The boys yowled as they were flown through the air, more confused then fearful. The black rose dragon brought them through a prickly mess of brambles…before finally arriving at a castle. It was a giant, intimidating structure consisting of cream walls and red archways that formed into hearts at certain places. It was surrounded by an elegant hedge garden filled with plant busts of…the Red Queen.

Said, woman, known as Vivian, was currently sitting on her heart-shaped throne in the grand hall, a majestic room with marble floors, tall ceilings, and velvet accents. Vivian, was also quite beautiful, with long black hair she kept tied into two buns atop her head, a long, elegant red and gold dress, and hazel eyes. Yes, she was quite beautiful….until she opened her mouth.

For the Red Queen was best known throughout all of Underland by her horrible, screechy voice that she never could seem to cure. People often said that her voice along with her venomous personality was enough to poison a man, thus earning her the nickname "Vivian the Viper". Because of this, she often surrounded her self with subordinates who were just as "freaky" as she was.

Sitting on her throne, Vivian was in another one of her head-chopping moods.

"Have you captured the little wench who stole my diamond necklace?" she asked a Meda Bat standing next to her.

"We have, your majesty," the creature replied. "We've put it back in your room with your ninety-nine hundred other necklaces. The beheading is being scheduled."

Vivian nodded. "Good."

Suddenly, Marik stuck his head around the corner and muttered, "Majesty?"

The woman smiled and reached out, giggling scratchily as he kissed her hand.

"Marik, you knave, where have you been lurking?"

"Majesty…" he said, a sinister grin playing on his lips. "I have found the Oraculem." He pulled out the scroll and thrust it open.

"That?" Vivian cocked an ebony eyebrow. "It looks so ordinary for an oracle."

"Look here, on the Frabjous Day…."

The queen did….and gasped at the illustration, saying, "I'd know that short brown hair anywhere…is it Tea?"

Marik nodded. "I believe it is."

The woman cocked her head. "What's she doing with my darling Jabberwocky?'

"She appears to be slaying it," the knave replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Vivian stared at him in shock and shrilly shrieked, "She KILLED my Jabber-baby-Wocky?"

"Not yet," Marik tried not to cringe at the awful voice. "But it will happen if we don't stop her."

"Find Tea, Marik," Vivian ordered. "Find her!"

A few moments later, Marik was outside the palace with his horse, a few soldiers…and one of their prisoners. It was a silver-furred wolf known as Silverfang, captured by the Red Queen for his uncanny ability to track things.

Marik looked down at the miserable canine and said, "Find the scent of a human girl and earn your freedom."

Silverfang glared up at him and growled, "For my wife and pups as well?"

"Everyone will go home."

The wolf thought for a moment, and nodded. The soldiers unclasped his chain and he took off, already detecting the scent.

Glancing back it his rider Nightmare Horse chuckled. "Dogs….will believe anything."

Tea glanced around nervously, wondering where on earth she should go. She was wandering through a shadowy forest, filled with twisted vines and illuminated by only a few bands of light.

The girl winced as a jolt of pain shot up through her shoulder and glanced down at her arm. Suddenly, a voice behind her said,

"It looks like you ran afoul of something with wicked claws."

It was a boy her age with long, shaggy white hair, piercing chocolate eyes, and a queer, slightly scary smile. His voice was low, slightly gruff, and dripped with an icy calm that could not easily be broken.

"I'm STILL dreaming…" Tea muttered. "You….you look like—"

"Ryo?" the boy's grin widened. "He is my brother. Now, back to the subject, What did that to your arm?"

"The Red…red ey—Red…."

"The red-eyes black dragon?" he raised his eyebrows. Suddenly as if the boy were made of air rather than flesh, his body dissipated into shadow and he reappeared at her side. "I'd better take a look…."

The white-haired boy gently lifted her arm and examined it thoroughly.

"What are you doing?" Tea asked nervously.

"It needs to be purified by someone with evaporating skills or it will fester and putrefy." He said the last three words with another grin.

"I'd rather you didn't."

The stranger sighed and tore a piece of fabric from her dress. "At least let me bind it for you…." As he carefully wrapped the wound, he murmured, "I am Bakura. What do you call yourself?"

"Tea," the girl replied.

Bakura grinned and looked up at her. "THE Tea?"

Tea sighed. "There's been some debate about that…."

"I never get involved in politics." Bakura vanished and appeared behind her. "You'd best be on your way."

"What way? I just want to wake up from this dream."

"Fine…." The white-haired boy was now suspended in the air, looking at her upside down. "I'll take you to the hatter and his pals…but that's the end of it…." He floated backwards and rematerialized up ahead. "Coming?"

After a few minutes of walking, the duo appeared at another clearing. This one was once again dotted with barren soil and twisted plants, but it also included a dank mist that hung loosely over the land. A worn-down wind mill stood forebodingly in the background and in the middle of it all…..was what looked like a tea table.

It was line with many chairs…..but only three of them were occupied. One was taken by the star-haired boy, another by a blonde guy in a tattered suit, snoring loudly. The last was at the end of the table, and Tea couldn't make him out because of his hat and the way he held his head low.

When they drew nearer, the brunette could hear soft jazz music…..and all three men looked up simultaneously as if she'd just broken a spell. The blonde man pointed spastically and tried to say something, but could only stutter. The one at the end of the table sat forward, looking disbelieving….then happy.

The hat-clad man stood up and walked…directly across the porcelain covered table. The cups and pots rattled and the star boy, who Bakura had pointed out as "Yugi", exclaimed, "Oh, please watch yourself!"

The man leaped off the table and knelt down directly in front of his visitor. He was a boy around twenty years of age, with pale skin, striking black-rimmed amethyst eyes, spiked red, black, and blonde hair that resembled Yugi's, and a slim, toned body. He was wearing a black suit, bowtie with tiny skulls on it, a red undershirt, and a hat with dark purple designs and three pins sticking out of it. Tea couldn't help but blush…..for he was very handsome.

"It's you…." He said with a joyous grin.

"No it's not, brother!" Yugi cried. "Ryo brought us the wrong Tea!"

"IT'S THE WRONG TEA?" the blonde guy howled, clutching at his hair and looking as if he was about to go crazy….er."

"Calm down, Joey, it IS Tea…" the hatter replied. "I'd know her anywhere…" he grabbed the girl's tiny hand and began half leading, half carrying her across the table. "As you can see, we're still having tea. And it's all because I was obliged to kill Time waiting for you to return. You're terribly late you know. Naughty."

He set her down on the table next to his chair and continued. "Well anyway, Time became quite offended and stopped altogether. Not a tick ever since."

Joey cackled for seemingly no reason, then stared at the object in his hand with wonder. "Cup…."

"Time can be funny in dreams…" Tea sighed.

Her companion nodded. "Yes, yes, of course, but now you're back, you see. It's time to get on with the Frabjous Day."

"Frabjous Day!" The others repeated enthusiastically.

"I'm investigating things that begin with the letter 'M'…." the hatter leaned forward, his purple eyes seeming to hypnotize Tea as he whispered. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

"DOWN WITH VIV THE VIPER!"

"What?" The brunette struggled to keep up.

"Vivian the Viper," Bakura explained. "The Red Queen."

"Yes, yes," the hatter waved a dismissive hand. "We must commence with the slaying and such. Therefore, it is high time to forgive and forget, forget and forgive, whichever comes first or is in any case most convenient…" he suddenly whipped out a pocket watch. "I'm waiting…."

Joey grinned, staring at his own now-working clock. "It's ticking again!"

At the end of the table, Bakura sighed. "All Yami's talk of blood and slaying is really becoming quite boring…."

Tea looked at the hatter called "Yami"….and was alarmed to see a sudden change come over his features. "Well….the entire world is falling to ruin…..and poor 'Kura's bored…."

"What happened that day was NOT my fault."

Suddenly…..Yami's face grew even paler. He's gorgeous purple eyes….changed to blood red, and the black rims became even thicker.

"Oh no…" Joey tried to hide in his teacup.

Walking towards Bakura, Yami spoke….and his voice was even deeper, now dark and gruff-sounding. "You RAN OUT on them to save your own skin, you guddler's scuttish piglar lickering shukm juggling sluking urpal BAR LOM MUCK EGG BRIMNI-"

"Yami!" Yugi scolded.

The hatter shrank back, his face returning to normal and his voice coming out in a squeak. "Thank you….I'm fine…"

"What's wrong with you, Yami?" Bakura sighed. "You used to be the life of the party. You would win every single game we had….but now you refuse to even look at one."

"On the Frabjous Day…" Yami began stiffly, "when the White Queen is once again on the throne…..THEN I shall play games again."

The others laughed…..but their chuckling was abruptly stopped when the neigh of Marik's horse….sounded a few yards away.

**Finally got to Yami XD! I had to end this chapter because it was getting too long. I hoped you liked and please review :). I chose to give Vivian the awful voice instead of a giant head because I thought it would be difficult to visualize her with a big head (other than her ego) lol. Also, I purposefully shortened the Red Queen scene because I can't stand the part when she kills the poor little frog…. Did anybody catch my nod to Alfred Hitchcock? He was notorious for his cameo appearances in his own films XD. (Black rose dragon grabbing Noah and Mokuba:). Also, the gold bird at the beginning is a duel monster called "Birdface".**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND  
><strong>


	3. To Salazem Grum

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter three! I'm sorry about all the confusion with Yami's character in this *facepalm*. Yami and Yugi are completely separate in this. Yami is his normal cordial self when he is calm (with his purple eyes, like in the 4kids version), but when he gets mad he turns into his psychotic season zero personality (with red eyes).**

**Dany14-black8: Gracias :)! I had so much fun introducing Yami in the story XD.**

**Sailorblaze:**

**Hikari Marik: Free at last!**

**Melvin: HELP ME!**

**Vivian: BUY ME MORE JEWELRY!**

**BlackRose: Oh, boy…..**

**MutantEnemy6789: Haha, no I really don't like Vivian XD. I don't hate her with a fiery passion, but she makes a good villainess lol… Sorry about the confusion with Yami :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks, I had a ton of fun writing Yami's character sketch :). Sorry about the confusion with his character :). I'm actually not adding any details from the original Alice, because I honestly can't remember anything from it lol….**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! I was actually planning on making Yami and Yugi her step brothers (I just think they're a bit old to be her sons XD). I made them non-blood relatives because she has the dark Egyptian skin while they are fair and for another reason that will reveal itself later :).**

**EVERYONE: Again, I'm so sorry about the Yami confusion :). He is himself, not Yugi, the whole time. He just switches back and forth between his calm, stoic self and his sadistic season zero self.**

'Oh, no…." Joey muttered, his eyes bugging crazily as the sound of hoof beats grew louder.

Yugi shrank back into his chair. "The knave…"

"Goodbye…" Bakura grimaced….and vanished into thin air.

Joey began frantically trying to tidy the table, saying, "Hide her!"'

"Drink this quickly!" Yami pressed a miniature "Drink Me" bottle to Tea lips and she nearly choked on its contents, shrinking to an even smaller size and blushing as her dress did not shrink with her. The hatter picked her up in the silk and stuffed her into a teapot, setting it down in his lap and pulling the table cloth over it. "Mind your head…"

Marik appeared along with Goblin Zombie, Poison Mummy, and Vanguard of Darkworld. The knave's horse rose up into the air and whinnied forebodingly before allowing his rider to dismount.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite trio of lunatics," Marik grinned as he stalked towards them.

Silverfang wandered around the barren area barking and growling every so often

"Would you like to join us?" Yugi squeaked nervously.

Joey threw a cup at the knave who ducked and pointed a threatening finger as all three lunatics cackled.

"We're looking for a human girl called Tea," he announced.

Yami started slightly as if he'd just received an electric shock. Playing along with his companions' display of madness, he said, "Oh, speaking of the Queen, here is a little song we used to sing in her honor…"

The trio began singing a medley of "Twinkle twinkle little star" and Marik had finally had enough. He dove down and roughly got the hatter in a headlock, growling,

"If you're hiding her, you'll lose your heads."

Yami grinned and hoarsely replied, "Already lost them."

Yugi and Joey began cackling again and the knave released his captive with an annoyed grunt. The trio then resumed their singing, trying not to look terrified as the knave scrutinized each one of them with suspicion.

Silverfang appeared under the table….and growled when he sniffed the hidden teapot. Yami looked at the wolf with pleading eyes and whispered, "Down with Viv the Viper…."

Silverfang's eyes softened….and he retreated, running off into the woods and barking.

Picking up a teacup, Marik ordered, "Follow the wolf!"

Meanwhile, the others were playing with their food.

"Would you like some sugar?" Yugi asked and threw a sugar cube into Joey's cup.

"Wow, that was impressive!" the blonde grinned and chuckled uncontrollably.

Marik rolled his eyes. "You're all MAD."

"Thanks very much!" Joey grinned proudly.

The knave hurled his cup on the ground in frustration and stormed off while the others laughed hysterically at his suspense.

Once the villains were long gone, Yugi and Joey seemed to calm down immeasurably. Breathing a sigh of relief, Yami lifted the top and Tea squealed with girlish embarrassment as she was clothed in only a piece of silk tied up to her chest.

"Oh! Pardon…" Yami slammed the lid shut and blushed. An idea struck him and, eyes closed, he reached in and pulled a piece of the cloth out of the pot. "Give me a moment…"

He took the cloth in his skilled hands and began snipping and sewing until….a very pretty blue dress was the result. "Try this on for size," the hatter said, sliding the dress into the pot.

Tea took the article and stared at it with curiosity. It was beautiful…surprisingly so, with no sleeves, the top part dark blue and the bottom half a gauzy powder cerulean. She slipped it on easily and then knocked on the teapot to be let out.

Yami opened the lid, reached in, and very gently lifted her out. "Oh…." He smiled, both in admiration of his handiwork…..and the brunette's beauty. "I like it….it suits you."

The brunette blushed and muttered a few words of thanks while Yugi chimed in,

"It's a good thing Silverfang is one of us or you'd be dead."

"What do they want with me?"

Before the hatter could answer, Joey cut in, waving a teaspoon around spastically.

"Wait a minute. You'd better take her to the White Queen. She'll be safe there….SPOON….."

Yami nodded and removed his hat, smiling fondly and saying, "Your carriage, Milady."

Tea cocked her head. "The hat?"

"Of course! Anyone can go by horse or by rail, but the absolute BEST way to travel is by hat…" he looked up suddenly and arched an eyebrow. "Have I made a rhyme?"

"I love traveling by hat!" Yugi grinned and reached for a "Drink Me" bottle.

"Yugi…." His brother put his hand over the bottle's nozzle. "Just Tea, please. Fairfarren, all!"

He began walking away and Joey began spazzing, "What—what… what do you mean? 'Yam! Brooklyn rage!" he yowled and threw a cup which the hatter ducked without even turning around.

Tea climbed around on the rim of the hat as they went, taking in her surroundings with interest. They were walking through a windy forest with aged-looking trees that sent their leaves spiraling around in the breeze as if dancing. It was later in the day now, and the sun cast a kind of dusky light that made the entire forest look as if it were bronze.

Suddenly, Yami began murmuring to himself…and Tea noticed that his voice was once again dark and gruff.

"Twas brillig…and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe…." He muttered. "All mimsy were the borogroves and the mome raths outgrabe…."

"Sorry, what was that?" Tea inquired, hanging from the rim of the hat before dropping down to the hatter's shoulder.

Yami looked at her. His eyes were darkened with a few flecks of red attempting to enter them. "What was WHAT?"

Tea shivered involuntarily…..but wasn't sure if she was shaking from fear…or admiration of his haunting voice. He continued,

"The Jabberwock with eyes of flame….jaws that bite and claws that catch ….beware the Jabberwock, my son…..and the frumious red-eyes black….! He took his Vorpal Sword in hand….the Vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead….and with its head….he went galumphing back…"

Yami turned to look at Tea, his eyes and voice still darkened with a veil of cryptic shadow. "It's all about YOU, you know….."

The brunette's heart lurched and she firmly replied, "I'm not slaying anything….I don't slay." She wasn't trying to be difficult….but she truly didn't think she could bring herself to kill another living creature….no matter how bad it was. "Please, put it out of your mind."

The hatter halted suddenly, his diamond-shaped eyes of amethyst widening.

"Mind…." He breathed, as if the idea was foreign to him.

Yami's eyes flicked to Tea. He picked her up between his thumb and index figure, set her down on a nearby tree stump…..and started to walk away.

"Wait!" the brunette cried frantically. "You can't leave me here!"

Yami whipped around to face her….and his eyes were once again the color of blood. "You don't slay," he growled. "Do you have any idea what the Red Queen had done? You don't slay…."

"I couldn't…even if I wanted to….I just…couldn't…." the girl's voice came out barely audible.

Yami came over and bent down so that his head was level with her body, the calm purple color returning to his eyes.

"You're not the same as you were before…." He murmured. "You were much more….muchier. You've lost your muchness."

"Muchness?" Tea inquired and "eeped" as his finger pressed against her tiny chest.

"In there. Something's missing."

The girl stared at the hatter for a moment before saying, "Tell me what Red Queen has done."

Yami returned her gaze…..with a sadness and grief that wrenched her heart.

"It's…..it's not a pretty story," he croaked in an uncharacteristically pitiful voice.

"Tell me anyway," Tea replied and placed her miniature hand on Yami's knuckles.

In answer, the hatter looked around, causing Tea to do the same….and gasp in horror at what she saw. For the forest in which they'd been traveling….was not filled with merely burnt trees…..but also the charred frames of houses. They looked like grizzly skeletons standing as an eternal reminder of what was…..of what COULD have been had whatever calamity happened….not happened.

"It was here…" Yami began softly. "I was hatter….to my and Yugi's sister, the White Queen Ishizu at the time…..as an immediate relative to the queen, I had first dibs at the job."

Yami was silent for a moment….and Tea actually though she saw tears glistening in those gorgeous, unearthly eyes. Then, the story began:

FLASHBACK:

_ The beings of Underland stood in the midst of the forest near a beautiful cathedral. The luscious trees were full of life, the fragrant scent of flowers filled the air, the sky was clear and blue, and the golden sun beat down on the earth, its intense rays cooled by a gentle breeze. Lively medieval music danced on the soft wind and Yami smiled back at his step sister, who returned the grin with her trademark kindness._

_ Perched on a white horse, she was a beautiful young woman who was around two years older than him. She had long, glossy black hair, bright blue eyes, and coffee-colored skin. She wore a long, flowing white dress and a silver crown perched atop her head. Indeed, she was a much better sister…than their TRUE sister._

_ The young hatter was clapping his hands joyously to the music and preparing to indulge in a game tournament that was starting…when the sky suddenly turned black with an ominous shadow. An ear-splitting roar screamed over the happy music…and the Jabberwocky appeared, blocking out the sun with its massive silhouette. _

_ People began screaming and running as it shot purple flame from its malicious jaws, setting everything ablaze. Ishizu's horse bucked with panic, causing the crown to fall from her head. Yami ran over and seized the creature's reigns, pulling it away from the ensuing chaos. Along the way, he grabbed Yugi and lifted the boy onto the horse along with his sister._

_ Amidst the carnage…a caped knave riding Nightmare Horse reached down and plucked a silver-lined blade from the ashen earth. It was the Vorpal Sword and in its reflection, Marik could see the blaze that signified the end of Underland's life of peace and equality…and the beginning of a horrid dictatorship._

_ After the dreaded creature had left and the guests had either been cleared out or killed, Yami stood in the middle of the burning forest, his eyes crinkled with sadness. With legs that felt like lead, he trudged forward and lifted his partially singed hat, placing it atop his unruly hair._

_ Staring again at the apocalyptic wreckage, a single silvery tear slid down Yami's pale face…and for the first time, his amethyst eyes glowed blood red…with the newly awakened madness._

END FLASHBACK

"Yami? Yami?" Tea called worriedly. He had finished his tale and almost immediately stared off into space, as if he'd realized something he wished he had not.

The hatter shook his head and blinked rapidly. "I-I'm fine…"

"Are you?" the girl stroked his large hand with hers.

Suddenly, the sound of Silverfang's barking echoed in the distance and the hatter started with worry, saying, "Did you hear that? I'm certain I heard something…"

Tea looked around anxiously. "What?"

The barking sounded again and Yami's face went even paler. "Red knights…." He grabbed the mini girl and stuck her in his pocket before taking off into the more dense area of the woods.

Looking over his shoulder, the young man could just make out the racing figures of red-armored knights. It looked like Snake Hair, Headless Knight, Goblin Zombie, Drillago, and a few others he couldn't quite make out.

Yami shoved aside countless brambles, getting his coat and hair snagged every so often. It seemed that even the TREES were on Vivian's side, reaching out and trying to grab him with their spider-like fingers.

Getting a little ahead, the hatter pressed his back against one of the larger trunks and waited for the knights to pass. Once they were gone, he took off again, leaping over a fallen tree as he went.

He let out an Underlandish curse when he found his way blocked by a silver-surfaced pond…..and the knights picking up their pace in the forest from where he had just come. The hatter stared at a massive, twisted tree on the other side of the lake….then took Tea out of his pocket and placed her on his hat.

He took the hat off and stared directly into the girl's azure eyes. "Go South to Trotter's Bottom. The White Queen's castle is just beyond."

"But what about you—"The brunette protested only to have Yami's gentle finger pressed to her tiny lips.

"Hold on tightly," he murmured with fondness in those hypnotic eyes. He then hauled back and threw the hat like a Frisbee while Tea held on for dear life.

The hatter's lips twisted into a maddened grin and his eyes lit up crimson.

"DOWN WITH THE BLOODY RED QUEEN!"

The hat landed with a thud at the base of the giant tree and Tea was unceremoniously thrown onto the earth. She stood up and looked back at where she'd just been…..and let out an inaudible cry when she saw the soldiers striking Yami and roughly dragging him away. What could she do, though? She was barely bigger than a bumble bee…and she was wanted. Because of that…..her friend had been taken away.

It was getting dark now and the grief in the girl's heart was slowly being dulled by fatigue. Defeated, she crawled underneath the hat…and fell into a fitful sleep on the grass.

Tea was awakened by a loud sniffing noise. She sat up frantically and beheld a large, black nose peeping under the hat's rim before pushing it off. Standing before her with his silver coat glistening in the dawn sun….was Silverfang.

"You were supposed to lead them away!" Tea cried, fighting back angry tears. "Yami trusted you!"

Silverfang's crimson eyes softened. "They have my wife and pups…I'm sorry…I had to."

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, the brunette looked up at the wolf and softly inquired, "What's your name?"

"Silverfang."

"Sit."

The canine obeyed and then cocked his head. "Would your name be Tea by any chance?"

"Yes, but I'm not the one everyone's talking about."

Silverfang shook his head and replied, "The hatter would not have given himself up just for any Tea."

Tea's heart lurched. "Where did they take him?"

"To the Red Queen's castle at Salazen Grum."

"Well then," the brunette stepped resolutely forward, "We're going to rescue him."

"That is not foretold—"

"I don't care!" the girl's sapphire orbs flashed with anger. "He wouldn't be there if it weren't for me!"

Silverfang sighed, saying, "The Frabjous Day is almost upon us…you must prepare to meet the Jabberwocky."

"From the moment I fell down that rabbit hole, I've been told what I must do and who I must be!" Tea cried. "I've been shrunk, stretched, scratched, and stuffed into a teapot! I've been accused of being Tea and not being Tea, but this is my dream! I'll decide where it goes from here!"

"If you diverge from the path—"

Tea cut him off. "I make the path!" she strode towards the wolf who put his head down so that she could climb on. Holding tight to his collar, she ordered, "Take me to Salazem Grum, Silverfang….and don't forget Yami's hat.

With that, Sivlerfang took off across the barren land toward Vivian's castle. Clinging to the leather collar, Tea clenched her jaw and her eyes shone with rigid determination. Yami had risked his head to save her twice now….and she'd be damned if she didn't risk hers to save him.

**Melvin's one to talk calling Yami and the others "Lunatics", eh XD? I hope you liked and please review! As I said above, there is a reason that Ishizu is adopted rather than a blood relative to the Mutou boys. The Jabberwocky poem brought back so many memories (I had to learn it way back in seventh grade :). I almost ran into trouble when it said "Beware the Jabberwock, my son and the frumious Bandersnatch" (Had to change it to "Red-eyes black lol). I've been having to mentally visualize my deck in order to cast all the Red Queen's monsters XD (I have a Dragon Darkness Deck).**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	4. Um from Umbradge

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter four is up :)!**

**Sailorblaze: Haha XD…. Sorry, I forgot to answer your question in your 333 Ways fic. I didn't cast Slifer as the Jabberwocky because that would have messed up the poem in the last chapter (although I really like the idea XD).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks, I was trying to get LittleKuriboh in there somewhere XD. By the way, have you ever noticed that on the covers of the original manga books, Yami's eyes change color with almost every volume? I've seen them purple, red, green, blue, pink, and Yugi's were even brown in one lol. **

**Dany14-black8: Gracias :)! I am enjoying writing it :). And I agree, Yami is VERY sexy as the hatter XD.**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks, Yami being half insane kinda reminds me of season zero lol :).**

**WinterD: Thanks :)! I like to think of Yami and Yugi as brothers :).**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! It took me about a year before I FINALLY made myself read the Yugioh card game instruction manual and build my own deck lol…**

**ImmortalAngel92: Haha, the Jabberwocky is probably one of my favorite poems XD. I agree with you, I cannot STAND teachers who treat people like that. That's worse than having a kindergarten teacher who doesn't like kids (which I had, talk about choosing the wrong job lol :).**

**Mokuba: At least you didn't have Ms. Chono from volume one of the Yugioh manga!**

**BlackRose: Shut up, Mokuba! My kindergarten teacher was PLENTY bad. Even the parents were scared of her.**

**Yami: I could've mind crushed her…**

**BlackRose: You can't fix all your problems by mind crushing people.**

Silverfang slowed his pace as they neared the castle's moat. Letting out a breath, Tea couldn't help but stare at the castle in awe. It amazed her that something so beautiful….could harbor such evil within its cream and rose walls.

Silverfang glanced at Tea solemnly as she climbed off of his head and murmured, "There's only one way across the moat…."

Tea looked…..and nearly wretched at what she saw. Floating atop the murky water…..were severed heads…hundreds of them. They floated like grizzly lily pads on the surface along with a cloudy mist….and the putrid smell of death. Still….there was no other way.

"Lost my muchness, have I?" the brunette muttered, gritting her teeth…..and leaping onto one of the heads.

She used the heads as stepping stones, cringing at the hard cold touch of their skin and yelping as her foot slid into one of the open mouths. When the girl finally reached the other side, she let out a shuddering breath before turning to her canine friend on the other side.

"Silverfang! The hat!"

The wolf grabbed Yami's trademark article, spun around once, and hurled it over the castle wall while Tea crawled through a crack to the other side. She found herself in a garden decorated with skillfully shaped hedges, a perfectly mowed green lawn, and red roses everywhere. She also saw the Red Queen who appeared to be playing some sort of….demented form of croquet.

The golden-feathered Birdface brought the queen a Blackwing Gale the Whirlwind to use as a mallet and she aimed at an exasperated Kuriboh.

"Sorry about this…" the Blackwing muttered right before Vivian slammed him into the Kuriboh.

The puffball went flying right past Tea who ran to him and began untying his tiny green legs.

"Where's my ball!" Vivian shrieked. "Page!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ryo replied glumly and scurried into the bushes.

"Shhh!" Tea attempted to calm the squeaking creature. "I want to help you!"

Kuriboh shook his head and pointed with his eyes…at Ryo.

"Well…" the white-haired boy said stiffly. "If it isn't the WRONG Tea. "What brings you here, hm?"

Tea made sure the puff ball had escaped before answering. "I'm here to rescue Yami."

Ryo sighed. "You're not rescuing anyone being the size of a gerbil."

"Well…." The girl thought for a moment. "Do you have any more of that cake that made me grow before?"

"Upelkuchen? Actually, I might have some left…" the boy reached into his pageboy jacket and presented the girl with the cake.

He glanced back as the impatient queen began stalking over. Looking back over to Tea, Ryo yelped when he saw she had eaten the entire corner off the cake.

"No, not that much!"

Almost immediately, Tea's body began to grow….and grow….and grow…. Until she was standing barely concealed by a rose bush as her dress had been destroyed by the sudden spurt.

"What is this?" Vivian gasped. Her subordinates, each with some sort of oversized body part to make themselves appear freaky, scrutinized the intruder suspiciously.

"It…" Ryo looked as if he might faint. "It's a "who", Majesty. This is , um…" he thought frantically for a name.

"Um?" the queen cocked an eyebrow.

Having an idea, the brunette exclaimed, "From Umbradge!"

Vivian turned to look at her. "Where are your clothes?"

Tea shrugged. "I outgrew them. I've been growing an awful lot lately. I tower over everyone at Umbradge….they all laugh at me. So I've come to you….hoping you might understand what it's like to be an outcast."

The Queen…actually looked sympathetic. "My dear girl," she began, and Tea tried not to cringe at her awful voice. "Anyone with a condition so off-putting is welcome in my court. Someone find her some clothes! Use the curtains if you must, but clothe this enormous girl!"

A few moments later, Tea was clothed in a sleeveless dress made of red fabric with accents of black and white. Her chocolate hair was tied into an elegant bun with a few roses to accent it. Dutifully, the brunette followed Vivian up to the throne, sneaking curious glances at her the whole time. She had Yami and Yugi's black hair without the other colors….but lacked the striking purple eyes, hers being hazel.

Sitting down on her throne, Vivian called out, "I need a Cloudian Smokeball here!"

Immediately, a tiny creature that looked as if it were made of clouds bounced over and slid beneath the queen's slippers.

"I love a warm Cloudian Smokeball belly for my aching feet," Vivian explained. "Would you like one, Um?"

"Oh…no thank you," Tea smiled politely.

The queen shrugged and ordered her to sit. The brunette did so….but very reluctantly as a poor Happy Lover was being made to hold up her seat. Vivian turned around and hissed at the rest of her court to leave. Once they had gone, the queen demanded,

"Where are my twin boys? You must meet them. Twin boys!"

On cue….Noah and Mokuba stepped into the room. They each had little red hearts imprinted on their foreheads.

"Aren't they adorable?" Vivian squealed. "They have the oddest way of speaking. Speak, boys. Amuse us."

Both looked at each other in perplexity…..then gaped at Tea. The girl's heart froze and she shook her head frantically at them.

"Speak!" the queen ordered.

Noah began, "Is that being…"

"No…" Mokuba shook his head. "No it isn't. Not a bit, no."

"Contrariwise, I believe it's so."

"No, it ain't, nohow!"

The boys began punching each other and Vivian laughed gleefully.

"I love my twin boys….now GET OUT."

Noah and Mokuba stared at the fear stricken Tea for a moment…..before finally leaving.

They sat in silence for a moment, the brunette slowly breathing to calm her racing heart. That had been SUCH a close one….what would happen if she met any more people she knew here?

Marik appeared from behind a curtain and kissed the queen's hand respectfully. He looked up….and froze when he saw the overgrown Tea. He beheld her elegantly tied-up hair….bright sapphire eyes, porcelain skin, and curvy body….and practically salivated.

"Who is THIS lovely creature….?" The knave purred.

Vivian tossed the girl a sideways smile. "Um. My new favorite."

"Well, does she have a name?" Marik pressed.

"Um."

"I believe your name has slipped the queen's mind—"

"Her name is UM!" Vivian shrieked. "IDIOT!"

Marik gave the brunette a perplexed look and she murmured, "From Umbradge…"

The knave shrugged and stood back as Vivian inquired,

"Any luck with the prisoner?"

"He's stubborn," the villain replied, taking off his black gloves.

The Red Queen eyed him mushily and cooed, "You're too soft…" She then shouted, "Bring him!"

The large crimson doors opened and in marched several guards escorting a prisoner. When they drew close enough to be clearly seen, Tea had to suppress a gasp when she recognized the prisoner….as Yami.

The hatter's spiky hair was even more unruly than usual, his coat was ripped in several places, and he had a nasty black bruise on his cheek. He walked laboriously, not only from the heavy chains, but from some unseen pain, and he actually cried out when the guards struck him in the back so that he would bow down. This made it obvious that the unknown wound was probably on his back.

Tea nearly sobbed when he looked up at her. Yami's eyes….seemed to be frozen in their maddened crimson state, and filled with a darkness of deep misery. He looked at her briefly and the brunette could see the fear in his eyes….the slight irritation that she had not followed his instructions.

"We know that Tea has returned to Underland," Vivian began. "Do you know where she is?"

Yami refrained from looking at Tea, instead replying, "Well, you see, DEAR sister….I've been considering things that begin with the letter 'M'. Moron…mutiny…murder…malice…"

"Well, little brother, we're looking for a "T" word now!" the woman hissed. "Where is Tea?"

"That silly little girl?" the hatter scoffed. "I wouldn't know…."

"What if I took off your head? Would you know then?"

Yami let out an insane breath of laughter before his evil sister snarled at him to stop. Cocking his head thoughtfully, he began,

"What gorgeous, glossy hair you have….I should very much like to hat it."

"Hat it?" Vivian raised her brows.

"Oh, yes…" the hatter stood up, ignoring the guards pointing their spears behind him. "I used to hat our dear, adopted sister you know….but I just didn't have much to work with….her beauty is just so…non-existent."

Tea could see the muscles in his jaw clenching with bitterness and knew he hated himself for saying such a false thing…..but he had to get on the queen's side.

"How right you are…" Vivian gave a vain smile. "Face of a toad she has."

"Ah, but you…." Yami stood up and began limping up the platform towards her. "What I could do with YOUR face….your exotic artist's portrait, no….your ANGELIC features…."

"What….could you do…?"

In answer, the young man lifted his wrists weakly and jingled the heavy chains.

"Unbind him, Marik," the Red Queen ordered.

The knave gave her a doubtful look and she snarled,

"How can he work if his hands are bound?"

Grudgingly, Marik lifted his sword and sliced through the chains with one quick stroke.

Tossing a quick look of spite at the knave, Yami continued his flattery.

Well, then…shall it be a bonnet or a boater? Or something for the boudoir? Cloche, dunce hat, death cap, coif, snood, barboosh, purgree, yarmulke, cockle hat, porkpie, tam o'shanter, billycock, bicorne, tricorne, bandeau, bongrace, fan-tail, night cap, Garibaldi, fez—"

"Hatter!" Tea hissed. She could tell that the captivity and torture had done very little for his already frazzled mind.

Vivian looked at him for a moment and seemed to finally notice what was painfully obvious to everyone else.

"You are injured. What idiot injured my hatter? Send him to the medical ward!"

"My apologies, Majesty," Marik cut in, trying not to look exasperated. "But…the medical ward is full of your newly captured servants at the moment."

"FOOLS!" Vivian yowled. "How can he work if he develops an infection? IDIOTS, YOU—"

"I'll do it!" Tea interrupted.

"You?"

The girl nodded. "I know the basics, how to treat wounds and such. He'll be in good hands with me."

"Hmmm…." The queen thought for a moment. "Very well….but bring him back as soon as you're finished. He and I have some important hat business to discuss."

A few minutes later, Tea and Yami were set up in a quiet sitting room. Medical supplies—bandages, ointments, cleaning swabs—were spread out on a heart-shaped table so that the so-called nurse could reach them easily.

Tea hadn't been lying. She did know how to treat wounds….but it was a bit difficult seeing as her hands were larger than usual due to the "Eat Me" cake.

Her patient sat on the couch, shirtless and with his back to her. The brunette couldn't help but blush at his muscled torso….and gasp at the three nasty stripes on his back, no doubt made from a whip. The bruise on his handsome face looked even worse up-close, and there were more bruises along his arms and encircling his wrists where the shackles had been.

They sat in silence for a while before Yami finally broke the ice. Without looking at her, he asked in a low voice, "What are you doing here?"

Wrapping a long bandage around his torso to cover the treated gashes, Tea replied, "What are you talking about? I'm here to save you."

"That was not part of the plan!" the hatter whipped around to face her, eyes practically glowing red. "You've diverged from the path just to save me! I am meaningless when compared to the lives of countless others! I—"

"Yami!" The brunette interrupted, placing two oversized fingers to his lips. "It doesn't matter what you say…I AM going to save you. The future isn't set in stone….and I plan to take advantage of that." She tenderly stroked his facial bruise with the crook of her finger. "You saved me…now it's MY turn to save YOU…"

The boy's expression softened….and Tea actually let out a breath when the purple hue returned to his eyes.

"Well….I thank you, Tea…. Though I still believe this whole venture is mad." He studied her face while she went to work at the wounds on his arms. "So, what did you think of my sister?"

The girl grimaced and looked up at him. "Do I really have to answer that question?"

"It's all right…whatever you're thinking is true," Yami said and gave a humorless chuckle. "She's HORRIBLE….she's vain…mean….selfish…cruel…a complete MONSTER. She's the reason I….I….she's the reason I am considering things that begin with the letter 'M'!"

"What?" Tea gave him a blank stare.

The hatter sighed bitterly, saying, "I guess…I left that part out of the story I told you back in the forest….about the Jabberwocky. After I helped everyone evacuate the party, I ran back….just in time to see my parents being torn to shreds by the creature….the creature my SISTER unleashed upon us. That is when…..my mind started to unravel…and it's only gotten worse over the years."

The blue-eyed beauty could see the red returning to his irises and she placed a hand on his chest to calm him. She was about to say something….when Vivian's shrill voice screamed for her to hurry up.

"I'll be back to visit you tonight," Tea promised, handing Yami back his shirt. "I have something to return to you."

Panting with exhaustion, Silverfang ran along the stone pathway between an orchard of cheery blossom trees…..directly towards the White Queen's palace. It was an awe-inspiring structure of beauty, not intimidating like that of the Red Queen…but rather welcoming.

Dressed in a flowing white dress, Ishizu walked along with her staff through the white-marble courtyard, smiling at every being she passed along the way.

"The trees seem sad…." Mystical Elf murmured.

Ishizu cocked her head with concern. "Have you been speaking with them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Perhaps a bit more kindly…"

The pure-hearted woman gasped when she saw Silverfang running into the courtyard and pleaded to be excused. Once the staff was out of sight, Ishizu took off and knelt down anxiously in front of the wolf.

"What news, Silverfang?"

"Tea has returned to Underland," the messenger replied breathlessly.

Ishizu smiled. "Where is she now?"

"In Salazen Grum." Silverfang's eyes saddened with guilt. "Forgive me….I allowed her to diverge from her destined path…."

"No, no, no, no, but THAT is exactly where she will find the Vorpal Sword," the White Queen caressed his head soothingly.

The exhausted canine collapsed to the ground as she stroked him and murmured, "You've done so well…"

Ishizu then looked up…and a small smile spread across her radiant face.

"We have our champion."

**Hope you liked and please review :)! Sorry this one is kinda short.**

** I actually read somewhere that Tim Burton's idea behind the Hatter's physical appearance and madness came from the concept of Mercury poisoning. That's where they got his red hair, greenish fingernails, and insanity.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	5. Vorpal Sword

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter five us up :)!**

**Sailorblaze: Sorry Slifer XD. Haha, you go, Melvin lol! This will be the new conversation as of this chapter:**

**Vivian: BUY ME MORE HATS!**

**Yami: ARGH! How did I get dragged into this?"**

**Yugi: Sorry, bro, you're on your own.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! I wanted to try to add more YamiXTea scenes in this. About the Red-Eyes eye….never thought about that, but I have an idea now XD!**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks :)! I love season 0 Yami too :)! Nothing like a hot, slightly psychotic pharaoh XD!**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks, I'm having a lot of fun developing their relationship :).**

Tea wandered around the queen's garden, furrowing her delicate brows as she searched intently for the object that had previously been her salvation. She gasped when she saw the little Kuriboh she'd rescued and inquired,

"Have you seen a hat around here?"

The creature squeaked and nodded his head in a direction. The brunette followed his gaze….and beamed when she beheld what she was looking for—Yami's hat.

That night, the queen and her right hand man stood on the balcony overlooking the moat and kingdom. Pacing back and forth, Vivian muttered,

"You must find Tea, Marik. Without the Jabberwocky, my step-sister's followers will surely rise against me. Ugly little sister….why do they adore her and not me?"

Marik shrugged, feeding her ego. "I cannot fathom it. You are far superior in all ways."

"I know…."

Ryo stuck his head through the door, peering anxiously into the dimly-lit room. He could see the villainess and her lackey standing on the balcony…and the Oriculem on a table held by two Happy Lovers.

Vivian sighed. "But, Ishizu can make anyone fall in love with her….men…women…" she gasped and turned around….right after Ryo barely managed to hide behind a chair. "Even the furniture!"

Marik cocked a pale eyebrow. "Even the King?'

Vivian looked down at her moat. Beneath the golden light of the castle lanterns, the water appeared to glow red with blood and its heads were eerily visible. One of those heads…bore the crown of a king.

"I had to do it," the Red Queen said defensively. "Zigfried would have left me."

Ryo crept slowly out of his hiding place and inched towards the table.

He reached out with a pallid hand…and snagged the scrolls, racing out the door as fast as he could.

"Majesty…" Marik began. "Is it not better to be feared than loved?"

Vivian sighed, saying, "I'm not certain anymore." She then looked up at Marik with soft eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oh, let her have the rabble, I don't need them. I have you."

It was quite an effort for the knave not to throw her off the balcony right then and there.

Tea stepped into a small room, smiling at the person inside. There were hats of all shapes and sizes everywhere…and Yami was hard at work on yet another.

Setting her gift down on a table, the brunette grinned. "They're wonderful! You must let me try one on."

Yami continued to crank a sewing machine and tossed a grin over his shoulder at her. "It is good to be working at my trade again."

The brunette nodded and solemnly added, "It's just a pity you have to make them for her…"

The hatter froze, staring straight ahead. "What is the hatter with me…?" he breathed. "Hatter…?"

Yami stood up from his seat and attempted to walk away…but couldn't because of the chain attached to his ankle. He yelled as his eyes lit up crimson, thrashing about and knocking things over. Alarmed, Tea stood up and grabbed his arms, turning him around to face her and taking his pale face between her oversized hands.

"Yami…." She murmured soothingly. "It's all right…"

The ruby glow slowly faded to amethyst and the hatter's maddened expression softened. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Comfortingly, Tea rubbed the tender skin beneath Yami's eyes with her thumbs. He closed them, relishing her cool touch against his burning face and throbbing temples.

"I don't like it in here, Tea," he whispered shakily. "It's so crowded…I feel as though I can't breathe sometimes…" those gorgeous eyes grew sad as the hatter asked. "Have I gone mad?"

The brunette recoiled one of her hands and pressed it to his forehead. Placing it back to his cheek, she murmured,

"I'm afraid so…you're entirely bonkers…..but I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."

The young man's melancholy expression slowly twisted into a smile. Smiling accordingly, the girl reached over, grabbed the hat, and placed it atop his spiky hair.

"That's better. You look like yourself again."

He smiled and looked about to say something when Vivian's ear-splitting voice cut in.

"Hat man! Where are my hats? I'm not a patient monarch!"

Turning back to Tea, Yami's face grew serious.

"I'm told she keeps the Vorpal Sword hidden in the castle," he explained. "Ryo will help you. Find it, Tea. Take it to the White Queen."

"We'll go to the White Queen together."

Yami smiled, reached up, and brushed her chocolate bangs from her face.

"Why is it you're always too small…or too tall…? I'll join you eventually, Tea….I promise."

Tea still looked worried, but she eventually nodded, and raced out the door. She walked down the hallway, striding briskly over the crimson carpet until she finally found the twins.

"Noah, Mokuba!"

"Tea!" the boys ran up to her excitedly. "How do you do, again?"

"Where's Ryo?" the girl inquired.

"Why are you so big?" Noah asked.

"She's not big, that's how she normally is," Mokuba shot back.

Before they could start another argument, Tea practically yelled,

"Where's Ryo?"

"Over there…" They each pointed in opposite directions.

Tea sighed and told them BOTH to take her. Following them down yet another identical hallway, the trio ran across another familiar face.

"What are you doing here?" Yugi inquired.

"I'm rescuing your brother," the brunette replied.

"I'M rescuing my brother too!"

"He told me that the Vorpal Sword is hidden in the castle. Help me find it."

Standing with Yugi, Ryo looked exceedingly nervous.

The girl cocked her head. "What's wrong, Ryo."

"I…" the white-haired boy began. "I know where the sword is."

He brought her outside to one of the inner courtyards of the castle. It was almost pitch-black outside and thunder was sounding its first threatening rumbles. Due to the quick flashes of lightning, Tea could just make out what looked like a gigantic iron cell.

"The sword's hidden inside," Ryo explained, leading her to the building. "Be careful, Tea."

Tea's stomach lurched when a familiar scent hit her nose. "I know that smell…" She peered through the iron barred window….and beheld red-eyes black dragon sleeping soundly, a stream of wispy smoke rising from his nostrils.

"I'm not going in there. Look what that thing did to my arm!" She pulled the bandage off…and let out a shaky breath.

The four-pronged wound….had widened to where each individual gash nearly merged into one. The skin around it was red and as soon as air hit the wound, it sent a wave of agonizing pain through her entire shoulder.

"Oh dear…." Ryo's face practically turned green. "Why…haven't you mentioned this?"

The brunette had to lean her hand against the stable door to keep from collapsing from the nauseating pain.

"It…it wasn't that bad before…" she looked back over at the white-haired boy.

Ryo was hyperventilating and staring at her gash. Eventually, it was too much and he passed out cold.

Tea stared at him for a moment before gazing in at the slumbering dragon. How on EARTH was she going to get in without being melted, eaten, or torn to pieces? If only she had some king of bargaining tool…the girl gasped. It was then that she remembered something that just might earn her passage….

Peeking his star-shaped head into one of the rooms, Yugi tentatively called out,

"Big brother, where are you? Yami?"

"Yugi!" Tea raced down the hallway toward him. "Do you still have the red-eyes black dragon's eye?"

Yugi reached his hand into his jungle of hair…and pulled out the aforementioned object. "It's right here."

"I need it," the girl pleaded.

Shrugging, Yugi handed the eye over and the brunette set off the way she'd come. As she walked, she could see someone in the corner of her peripheral vision and imperceptibly hid the organ in the folds of her ornate dress. All of a sudden, her follower, Marik, threw his arms on either side of her, trapping her against the wall.

"I like you, Um…" he cooed perversely, sliding his hands over her curvaceous waist. "I like….tallness…."

Anger welled up in Tea's heart at this sick man's intentions. There was only ONE person she desired to touch her like this….and it CERTAINLY was not him. She shoved him roughly away from her and hissed at him to get away from her before taking off down the hall. The knave stared at her in confusion, more shocked than angry. Unfortunately, he wasn't he only one who was stunned by this little incident….so was one of the queen's spying subordinates.

The brunette unlatched the iron door and carefully slid inside. The sleepy dragon opened his single eye and stared up at her with a mix of confusion and anger.

"I have your eye…" the girl said soothingly, holding it out to him.

Red-Eyes growled softly and she rolled the eye over to him. He took it in his claws and grumbled at her, but allowed her to pass by unheeded. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tea began to dig around the various barrels hidden in the corner. Eventually, she came across something covered in a wool blanket. The girl pulled it aside….and gasped when an intricately designed chest was revealed.

Tea tried to open it….but a heart-shaped lock kept her from doing so. She shook it desperately, wincing as the dragon began to snarl at the rattling noise. To her surprise, he had somehow been able to put the eye back in his head and could see just as well as before. Finally, she stopped and sat on the ground with a thud. She took the bandage off her arm, wincing and gasping at the terrible pain. Red-Eyes looked at her curiously, settling down into a peaceful, non-threatening position.

With the marginal comfort that she would not be eaten alive by a ferocious dragon, Tea's eyelids drooped….and she fell into a deep sleep.

Back inside, the queen was having her hat fitting. Trying not to look overly grudging, Yami picked up a hat that looked like a Birdface head and place it on his sister's head.

She wrinkled her nose. "No."

Trying not to roll his eyes, the hatter grabbed another and placed it on her.

"You look stunning in that hat!" one of her male subordinates grinned.

"Yes…" Vivian cocked an eyebrow. "Next!"

Another displeased expression from Yami and yet another hat ensued, this one actually covering up her face.

"Your Majesty has never looked better!" a woman with a large nose gushed.

"Hmmmm….another!"

The young hatter placed a crimson, heart-shaped hat on her head. Smiling a bit too broadly, the lady who had complemented Vivian before, broke the seal holding the rubber nose to her face and it fell to the floor.

"Oh…" Yami winced and leaned over to the woman, whispering, "I don't wish to alarm you…but it SMELLS as if you might have dropped something…?"

The woman's eyes bulged and she leaned down as unnoticeably as possible and retrieved her nose. Upon further inspection, the hatter noticed that ALL the people had fake, oversized body parts. One man had a large belly, another, a broad forehead, a woman had a massive chin….it appeared as though NONE of these individual's so-called "freaky" conditions…were real.

This fact made Yami burst into a fit of insane laughter, his eyes turning red once again.

Vivian sighed exasperatedly. "Oh, never mind my brother, he's mad. Come along."

The "Hat Show" continued….until the queen's big-eared lackey tip-toed into the room. She sidled up to Vivian and whispered three simple words….which made the queen's face go red with fury.

"MARIK!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Those three simple words….had been "Um and Marik."

As the first bands of pallid sunlight peeked in through the barred windows, Tea was awakened by loud breathing. She looked up groggily…and gasped when she saw Red-Eyes staring directly into her face. He was leaning purposefully close….so that she could see the key dangling from a heart shaped hook on his chain collar.

The girl tentatively reached out….and took the key. When she recoiled her hand, the dragon gave her a look that resembled….a smile. He leaned his ebony head closer and began to lick the gashes on her arm. Almost immediately, the redness faded and the cuts began to close so that they weren't so open anymore. The awful pain went away too. It seemed…that red-eyes saliva had incredible healing properties.

"I suppose this makes us even now," Tea smiled, reaching her hand out and gently stroking the creature's head.

Red-Eyes' goofy grin widened and he leaned into her caress, making the girl wonder if this dragon had EVER experienced affection. Giving him one final pat, Tea turned around and used the key to unlock the chest…..revealing a beauteous blade.

The Vorpal Sword shone flawlessly with silver stones lining its blade and a silver-plated hilt. Though it was smaller due to her larger size, the brunette could feel the intense power pulsating from its very core.

Satisfied, Tea leaped to her feet and started out the stable door. She cast one last look at Red-Eyes who had his head resting on his claws, staring fondly up at her. The girl gave him a smile and left, leaving the door open so that he could leave any time he wished.

Back in the castle, Marik was literally groveling at Vivian's feet in the throne room.

"Um FORCED herself on me, Majesty…" he lied pitifully. "I told her my heart belongs to you but she's OBSESSED with me…"

Fear stabbed at Marik's heart when the queen glared at him distrustfully. However, she soon made up her mind and stood up, shouting,

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

Tea raced back to the hatter's quarters and found Yugi attempting to pick the lock on his brother's shackles.

"Stand back, Yugi," the blue-eyed beauty ordered and raised the Vorpal Sword above her head. "How's THIS for muchness?"

"No, no!" Yami cried. "You mustn't use it for anything except—"

His explanation was interrupted by a group of angry looking guards bursting into the room. Dark Ruler, Puppet Master, Doll of Demise and several others were lead by Marik who pointed at Tea and shouted,

"Arrest that girl for unlawful seduction!"

Tea scowled as the guards marched forward and Yugi looked at his brother with panic stricken eyes.

"Yami!"

The hatter looked up at Tea and ordered, "Take it to the White Queen!"

"I'm not leaving without you—"

"GO!"

Yami picked up two fabric rolls and through them at two of the guards, knocking them into the others. He then threw a hat at the ever-advancing Marik who simply sliced it in half with his sword.

Slowly backing out the door, Tea yelped in horror when Marik lunged for Yami. The brave young man was as smart as he was handsome, however, and grabbed a metal mannequin to use as a shield. He trapped the knave's blade and then whacked him in the head with something else off his table.

Shoving Marik backwards, Yami leaped atop a chair, seized a spray bottle of perfume, and aimed it. Yugi meanwhile looked frantically to the wielder of the Vorpal Sword and shouted,

"RUN…TEA!" as soon as the wanted name flew from his mouth, the boy desperately tried to grab it back….but it was too late.

"Tea…?" the knave's mouth twisted into a grin.

Tea looked around helplessly until Yami finally shouted at her to run and sprayed the temporarily blinding liquid into Marik's eyes. Marik yelped and sliced his sword through the chair,s legs, dropping the hatter to the ground.

"SEIZE HER!"

Tea fled into the courtyard….but was relentlessly flanked on all sides by Red Knights. Stepping casually out of the doorway, the knave grinned.

"Tea…why didn't I see it? Well, it has been a long time and you were such a little tyke then. Give me the sword."

"Stay away!" the girl hissed, trying to conceal the terrified quivering in her voice. "Stay back!"

The guards and Marik drew in closer.

"The Queen will be SO pleased…she will take GREAT pleasure in taking off your head….or…you could shall we say….give yourself to me…?"

Tea's eyes flashed with anger as the soldiers grabbed her wrists.

"I would NEVER sell myself out to you, you sick bast—" her insult was cut short by an ear-splitting roar.

Out of the iron stable….burst Red-Eyes, crimson eyes blazing and black-flecked fire shooting from its sharp-toothed mouth. He charged through throngs of soldiers until he reached Tea who climbed onto his back. With his friend on board, the dragon took off, tearing though the rest of the villains and racing out of the castle gates. Though he couldn't fly due to Tea's larger-than-normal size, he was still quite fast on his feet.

Silverfang appeared from behind a boulder, looking more than a little confused.

"T-Tea…?"

"Silverfang!" the girl called. "To Marmoreal!"

He let out an agreeing bark, and with that, girl, dragon, and wolf set off…..for the White Queen's castle.

**I hope you liked it and please review :)! I've had to change Yugi's actions in this because, no offense to anyone who really likes Mally, but I found the doormouse to be very…annoying XD. I enjoyed writing about Red-Eyes this chapter. I want a pet red-eyes-black dragon lol….Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make do with the card XD.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	6. Escaping Execution

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter six!**

**Sailorblaze: Haha….Yay, Yami mind crushed Vivian XD! I agree, Ryo needs someone as quiet and sweet as he is…I think I have someone in mind :). Please don't eat me, Slifer! I'll try to remember to stick you in somewhere XD!**

**MutantEnemy6789: Thanks, I'm having a ton of fun writing this :). I agree, I'd whack Melvin continuously with my Pokemon Mewtwo plushy if he tried to hit on me XD.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks, I had fun writing the action scenes :). Facepalming myself at the pearls (I couldn't tell what in the name of Osiris they were lol :). The nursing scene actually came from several things: In the actual movie, they insinuate that the Hatter was tortured, yet he looks physically unharmed and I thought that was weird; I wanted to add another YamixTea scene to expand on their relationship; and I needed a scene to explain why Yami is partially insane and hates his real sister so much. I decided to knock all these things out at once by creating a scene where Tea treats Yami's torture injuries and he explains what happened with Vivian :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks, the scenes were fun to write :). I love Red-Eyes….I love Black Rose Dragon too, but Red-Eyes will always be my favorite XD.**

**ImmortalAngel92:**

**BlackRose: I'm so tired….**

**Bakura: Why?**

**BlackRose: Because I stayed up until two o'clock in the morning watching The Others and reading manga.**

**Bakura: Well that's YOUR fault.**

**BlackRose: If I wanted your opinion, I'd send Vivian to beat it out of you, Florence.**

**Bakura: Ah! Okay, I'll behave!**

**BlackRose: By the way, Angel can borrow Vivian anytime she wants :).**

Breathlessly approaching the pacing queen, Marik announced,

"Majesty….Tea has escaped…."

Vivian's eyes flared and she smacked him across the face.

"On…" the knave cringed, "the Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

Another slap.

"With…the Vorpal Sword…."

Vivian slapped him a third time and snarled,

"How could you let this happen?"

The knave rubbed his aching jaw.

"I might have underestimated her, but we have her conspirators…..your two brothers."

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

Tea raced on Red-Eyes through an orchard of Cherry Blossom trees, bound for the beautifully towering castle. It was such a change from the palace of Salazen Grum with a welcoming essence flowing from its pearly walls rather than the domineering shadow of its counterpart.

The brunette dismounted Red-Eyes and raced into the castle doors. She walked into the purest white room she'd ever seen past several silver-armored guards. Ishizu stood up to greet her and Tea noted that the White Queen was just as beautiful as everyone claimed.

"Welcome to Marmoreal," the woman smiled and Tea happily handed her the Vorpal Sword.

"I think this belongs to you."

Ishizu let out a breath of relief as she held the sword, running her delicate hands along its blade before beaming at its rescuer. "The Vorpal Sword is home again…" she placed in the metal hands of a suit of armor. "The armor is complete….now all we need is a champion…."

The White Queen looked up at Tea and sheepishly whispered,

"You're a little taller than I thought you'd be."

The girl chuckled. "Blame it on too much "Drink Me" juice."

"Upelkuchen?" Ishizu smiled and took the brunette's hand. "Come with me…"

They exited the throne room and entered yet another stark white chamber. As soon as Ishizu opened the door, she habitually ducked as a bowl of green stew slammed into the door. Dragging her finger across the mushy food, Tea inquired,

"Is Joey here?"

Playing with various vegetables, spices, and tools, the aforementioned mad blonde raced around the room, shouting,

"You're late for your soup, you wee besom! You're late for your soup!"

The blue-eyed beauty tasted the stew on her fingered and muttered,

"Could use some salt…"

In answer to this, Joey threw a jar of salt at her which she narrowly avoided. Leaving the madman to his frazzled cooking, Tea joined the queen at her potions table.

"Pishalver…let me think…" Ishizu searched through her queer ingredients. "A pinch of Dungeon Worm fat….urine of a Pheromone Wasp…." Tea's face went green. "Buttered Zombie fingers…." She finished dropping the gruesome items into the brewing pot. "My step-sister preferred to study Dominion Over Living Things."

Ishizu stirred the cauldron and inquired, "So….how does she seem to you…?"

"Perfectly horrid," was Tea's honest reply.

"And her….her…." The White Queen gingerly touched her own throat. "Voice..?"

"Ear-splitting…."

"Mmmm…." The ebony-haired woman tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think that case of strep throat she got awhile back ruined her vocal cords. Mother and Father told her not to be yowling and carrying on the way she always did….but she didn't listen. As usual…." The White Queen replaced her saddened expression with her usual smile. "Three coins from a Graverobber's pocket….two teaspoons of wishful thinking…"

The brunette sighed. "You can't possibly imagine the things that go on in that place…."

"Oh yes I can…" Ishizu's face grew sorrowful, then morphed into excitement. "But when a champion steps forth to slay the Jabberwocky, the people will rise against her!" she spat into the brew and dipped a spoon into it. "Blow…"

Tea did and sipped the bitter mixture, gasping when her body began to shrink….to its normal size. She grabbed at her red dress which was now far too big for her and smiled gratefully.

"Feeling better?"

"Much, thank you."

Ishizu smiled and took the now smaller girl's hand, leading her out of the room.

"There's someone here who would like to speak with you."

The White Queen took Tea to change her clothes and the blue-eyed-beauty emerged in a stunning slivery white dress with her chocolate locks hanging free. The sun had sunk by then and Ishizu brought her outside into a garden of neatly-trimmed trees. The girl strolled through the vegetation….and directly into a familiar silvery smoke.

She coughed. "Seto? Is that you?"

Sure enough, the man appeared in the mist along with his beauteous Blue-Eyes White dragon. He was now only about a foot taller than her, leaning pensively against his creature's side.

"Greeting, real Tea."

"I thought we'd settled this," the brunette sighed. "I'm Tea, but not that one."

"How do you know?'

"You said so yourself!"

The dragon rider sighed as if the whole thing was QUITE exasperating.

"I said you were NOT HARDLY Tea. In fact, you're ALMOST Tea."

"Even so…" the girl began. "I couldn't slay the Jabberwocky if my life depended on it."

"It most certainly will," was Seto's cryptic reply. "So I suggest you keep the Vorpal sword on hand when the Frabjous Day arrives."

Tea studied him curiously for a moment. "You look so real…. Sometimes I forget this is all a dream."

In answer, Blue-Eyes blew a wisp of smoke into her face and she coughed.

"Will you please stop doing that?'

Seto began to laugh maniacally.

Yami sat silently in the dungeon of Salazen Grum, grimly taking in his surroundings. He was in a cramp, barred cell with crooked metal poles, lit only by a few torches and a crack in the roof. Even worse than the darkness, however, was the impenetrable silence. It allowed one to think….to dread without hindrance.

This was especially true in the hatter's case as he was waiting…waiting for his execution with only grim thoughts to fill the soundless void. _"So this is it…I'll never see my step-sister or friends again…I'll never see HER again…Tea…I would like very much to tell her how much she means to me…but now I shall never get that chance." _ He sighed, listening painfully to the new sound of Silverfang's mate and puppies whining pitifully in the cell next to him. It was at that precise moment, that another voice filled the chamber.

"I've ALWAYS admired that hat…" Bakura materialized in the cell, lips twisted into a crooked smile and chocolate eyes piercing through the blackness.

"Hello, 'Kura," Yami offered weakly.

Running a white finger over the hat's top, Bakura inquired, "Since you won't be needing it anymore…would you consider bequeathing it to me…?"

"How dare you?" the hatter snatched away his prized possession. "It is a formal execution and I would like to look my best, you know."

"It is a pity about all this…" the white-haired boy placed a hand on his companion's shoulder. "I was so looking forward to challenging you to a Duel Monsters match."

"I was rather good at it wasn't I?" Yami allowed himself a small smile.

"I really do LOVE that hat…. I would wear it to all the…FINEST occasions…."

Yami's eyes widened. It was then that he understood….and the crimson hue lit up his eyes as he began to laugh with insane triumph.

Sitting on her balcony throne with her so-called companions, Vivian sighed contentedly.

"I love a morning execution, don't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all replied.

Marik took off his glove and waved it to signal the soldiers. Obediently, they entered into the stone courtyard leading a shackled Yami and Yugi to the chopping block. Yami was first, not looking at anyone before dropping to his knees and placing his neck on the stone. The Reaper of Cards executioner started to take his hat off but Yami quickly said,

"I would like to keep it on." He still didn't look up.

The Reaper shrugged. "Suit yourself as long as I can get at your neck."

Poor Yugi stood a few feet back, tears streaming down his face as he whimpered,

"I'm right behind you, big brother…"

Standing in the crowd, Ryo looked away. "I can't watch…"

Noah and Mokuba covered each other's eyes….then pulled the other's hand away to watch…then covered up again.

The Reaper raised his axe…and Yami finally looked up. His eyes….were chocolate brown….and a crooked grin spread widely across his face. The axe came down and the young man's body evaporated into thin air, leaving only the hat floating in space. Everyone stared in shock….and Bakura materialized, wearing the hat.

"Good morning everyone!"

"Bakura, you sly dog!" Yugi beamed.

In answer, the white-haired boy grinned and winked, nodding at his smiling brother in the crowd.

Yami, the REAL Yami appeared behind the stunned Vivian and announced,

"Before I get out of this infernal place, dear sister, I thought I'd let you know that you are being played for a fool by these so-called 'freaks' you surround yourself with."

Marik cursed and ran to get up to the balcony while Yami ripped the false ear off one of the women.

"What is THAT?" the queen snarled.

"I'm not the only one, Majesty. Look!" She pointed to another woman's crooked nose.

"I false nose!" the fat man scoffed. "You should be ashamed!"

"ME? What about that big fake belly you're so proud of!"

Vivian was purple with rage. "LIARS! CHEATS! FALSIFIERS!"

His job accomplished, the hatter leaped onto a bendable pole near the balcony and swung down to the courtyard below.

Yami's eyes were now gleaming blood red and his voice came out darkly gruff but powerful.

"The abused and enslaved in the Red Queen's court! All of you, stand up and fight! Rise up against Vivian the Viper!" Yami stared directly into the queen's eyes with a poisonous glare of dark intent that sent a frigid chill down her spine. "Down with Vivian the Viper!"

This simple statement caused most everyone in the lower level to join in and begin the chant, making Vivian catch her breath in fear. She only had one choice now….

"RELEASE THE BLACK ROSE DRAGON!"

On cue, a deafening roar sounded and the looming shadow of the plant-like reptile cast a veil of darkness over the courtyard. People screamed and ran every which way, desperate to avoid the creature's clutches.

Finally arriving on the balcony, Marik stood, sword drawn and looking slightly confused. In a quiet but still horrid voice, Vivian muttered,

"You were right, Marik….it is better to be feared than loved."

Yami yelped, narrowly ducking Black Rose's claws as they attempted to slice through his back.

"Come, boys, quickly!" he motioned for Noah and Mokuba to follow.

"Big brother!"

The hatter looked around frantically for the terrified voice and found Yugi huddling near the chopping block, an almost tearful look of fear in his eyes.

"Come on, Yugi, it's all right!" Yami wrapped an arm around his little brother's shoulders and urged him onward.

Face set in a stony expression, the Red Queen growled,

"Prepare the Jabberwocky for battle. We're going to visit my step-sister."

Tea stood with Ishizu on the telescope tower, staring out into the clear, starry night. The moon was bright and full, casting a silvery wave of light over the path leading to the castle.

Ishizu sighed. "I had hoped to have a champion by now….."

Tea cocked her head confusedly. "Why don't you slay the Jabberwocky yourself? You must have the power…."

"It is against my vows to harm any living creature…" the woman explained and gasped when she caught sight of something through her telescope. "We have company…." She beamed and left the tower.

Tea looked through the device….and nearly cried with joy when she saw Bakura and Ryo chasing and teasing each other like true brothers, Noah and Mokuba arguing as usual, and Yami with an exhausted arm slung around his equally fatigued little brother's shoulders. A few other figures appeared and the brunette moved out of the way for Silverfang to have a look.

Joyful doggy tears filled the wolf's eyes when he beheld his wife and frolicking little ones.

"Skye….and my pups…."

Emerging out of the castle gates, Tea ran at full speed to Yami and threw herself into his arms. Now at normal size, she was a little shorter than him and her body was slender and petite against his muscled form.

A little shocked by the contact, the spiky-haired young man gasped and stammered for a moment….then beamed and wrapped his arms around Tea's waist, burying his face in her rose-scented hair.

"I'm so happy to see you…" the girl whispered, fighting back tears and leaning her face into his shoulder. "I thought they were going to…to…"

"So did I," the hatter replied, understanding what she couldn't bear to say. "But they didn't and here I am, still in one piece." Yami pulled back slightly so that he could stare into her face, arms still wrapped firmly around her. He couldn't believe that she was somehow even more beautiful than the last time he saw her. "I'm rather glad about that now that I'm seeing you again. I would have regretted not seeing you again, especially now that you're you and a proper size. A-and it's a good size, a great size, a right, proper, Tea size—"

"Yami!" Tea giggled and pressed her finger to his lips, watching the over-excited redness leave his irises.

"Size….eh…I'm fine…."

The brunette smiled at Silverfang being reunited with his family before asking,

"Where's your hat?"

In answer, the white-haired shape shifter appeared, handing the hat dutifully to its owner.

"Bakura…" Tea smiled welcomingly.

Bakura grinned and kissed her hand, saying, "How's the arm, love?"

"All healed."

The white-haired boy nodded approvingly, then gave the hat a forlorn expression as Ryo began to drag him off.

"Goodbye…sweet hat…"

The hatter glared at his friend and placed the object firmly on his head, making Tea giggle.

Tea then decided she would go back to her bedroom's balcony to think and star gaze. She turned and started to leave…..but glanced over her shoulder, not really wanting to leave the hatter. The brunette locked eyes with him a moment longer before finally going on her way, sighing forlornly.

It was only after a few moments of Tea's absence that Yami realized the girl's quandary, and he found that he too didn't want to separate from her. After embracing his long-lost step-sister and telling Yugi goodnight….he was more than obliged to go looking for her.

**Yami finally got some…well…not "screen time", but I guess "page time" lol. I hope you liked it and please review :)! For anyone who's played Kingdom Hearts 1, during the execution escape scene in this chapter, I kept thinking about that level where you have to whack the lever to make Alice's cage come down while being attacked by card soldiers. I got stuck on that level for like three months lol….**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	7. Who Will Be Our Champion?

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Chapter 7 :)!**

**Death101-Fox Version: Thanks :)! I will try to make the dialogue go along with the Yu Gi Oh characters more :). I didn't make Marik freaky, Vivian is just attracted to him because she thinks he likes her XD. I agree about the "I make the path" line, it is very similar to that season :). I'm a Bakura fan too XD! I wish he had been redeemed at the end like Pegasus and Dartz…. Anyway, thanks for all your awesome reviews :)!**

**Sailorblaze: It is in fact Serenity :). I might make a Hikari Marik cameo and if I do, his name will be Namu for a reason that will be explained. As for what's next….I'm not positive, but I think I'm going to do Sinbad (the animated movie with Brad Pitt and Michelle Feifer) and I might try to change the story to fit Egypt rather than Greece (not sure if I'll be able to thought). I've got some one-shots I'm going to work on first :).**

**Hikari Marik: *whacks BlackRose with his rod***

**BlackRose: OW! What was that for?**

**H. Marik: YOU LEFT ME OUT OF THE FRIGGIN FIC!**

**BlackRose: Relax! You will appear soon! Hold your Ra forsaken horses!**

**H. Marik: All right….It seems I won't have to force you to change your name to Steve and brainwash you then…**

**BlackRose: Uh….thanks….Yami…? A little help…?**

**Yami: MIND CRUSH!**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! Yes, Yami's mind will be mended :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks, the escape scene was probably one of my absolute favorites to write :). I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one annoyed by that KH level lol…**

**MutantEnemy6789: Plushy war against Melvin XD! I actually ended the last chapter where I did purposefully so I could have that YamixTea scene opening this chapter :).**

Tea stood alone on her room's balcony, staring absent-mindedly at the starry sky. Though she was looking at the tiny pinpricks of light against the ebony sky….she wasn't seeing them, rather she saw all of her memories over the past few days….and all of the wonderful new friends she'd made. And yet….this was all a dream…..a dream from which she desperately did not want to wake up.

The soft thud of footsteps shook the girl from her daze. She turned around….and saw Yami approaching her, smiling. He had taken off his hat and was wearing a skin-tight black tank top, as well as dark pants. His pale skin shown white in the pallid moonlight and his gorgeous amethyst eyes seemed to glow, even more enhanced by their dark rims. All in all, Tea was blushing furiously and trying not to star at his muscled arms.

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" the hatter asked casually, going to lean on the balcony railing beside her.

Tea tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmmm….let me think about it."

Yami chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it…it's just a question that plagues my frazzled mind every second of every day….a symptom of my madness…" his face grew forlorn for a moment before he changed the subject. "You know what tomorrow is, don't you?"

The brunette's smile faded. "Frabjous Day….how could I forget…..even though I'm terrified though….I don't want to wake up."

"Still think this is a dream, do you?"

"Of course. This has all come from my own mind."

The hatter stared at her for a moment and his face grew contemplatively sad.

"Which would mean…..that I'M not real…."

Tea nodded sadly, turning her face to conceal the moisture forming at the corners of her eyes and saying,

"I'm afraid so…you're just a figment of my imagination….I WOULD dream up someone who's half-mad…."

Yami chuckled. "Well, you'd have to be half-mad to dream me up."

"I must be then…." The girl giggled, staring up at his handsome face. "I'll miss you when I wake up…."

The hatter's expression twisted into sorrow and both companions shuffled a little awkwardly. Their moment of embarrassed silence was broken, however, by soft, slow music coming from somewhere inside the palace.

The blue-eyed beauty smiled and did a stationary twirl. Finally, it seemed she could be herself…without having to worry about the critical eyes of others. What did make her stop her little dance, was Yami's eyes, watching her with amused curiosity.

"You like to dance, do you?"

Tea nodded sheepishly. "Yeah….I've never told it to anyone, but I really do….unfortunately, I was only allowed to do the boring group dances where I come from."

"Well then, Milady…" Yami smiled and offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

The girl giggled and blushingly slipped her delicate hand into his. His hands went to grasp her hips while hers slid up to his toned shoulders. They began to sway back and forth slowly, shyly at first….then growing less timid.

Tea laid her head against the hatter's chest while Yami's arms slid tightly around her waist, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her chocolate tresses.

The brunette sighed and squeezed him tighter. She couldn't stand the thought of waking up….of leaving this world….of leaving Yami. She pulled back slightly and gazed into those amethyst gems, wanting to remember this moment….wanting to lock it away in her heart for all eternity.

Yami's eyes wandered to her full, pink lips. Perhaps it was just an impulse of his insanity…or perhaps he truly was falling in love with Tea Gardner. He leaned in….and Ishizu's voice caused him to freeze.

"Yami!" she called sweetly. "Would you mind it terribly if I asked you to take a look at these armor helmets to see if they're suitable?"

"Oh…of course, right away, sister!" the hatter answered.

Yami looked back to Tea and they both sprang away from each other as if their bodies were red hot.

"Anyway…." The spiky-haired youth's face burned. "See you tomorrow at the Champion Ceremony."

Tea nodded, her cheeks equally red. She then leaned up…and planted a soft kiss on Yami's cheek. He closed his eyes, relishing the peach-like touch on his skin and longing for it again when she recoiled. However, he merely dipped his head cordially….and left to join Ishizu in the armory.

Blowing a silvery trumpet, Ryo stepped forward to address the crowd.

"Who will step forth to be champion for the White Queen?"

Dressed in his normal black attire, Yami stepped forward and proclaimed,

"I will!"

Ishizu however, solemnly shook her head. "I'm sorry, brother…but I'm afraid that your….mental condition would fatally alter your judgment if you got too excited during the battle."

"She's right, my friend," Bakura appeared out of thin air before the hatter could protest. "Besides, you have very poor evaporating skills. I should be the one."

"I'll do it!" cried Yugi, brandishing his sword which was a little too big for him.

"Absolutely not," Yami shook his head adamantly. "I am not sending my little brother out there to get ripped to shreds by the Jabberwocky."

The twins chimed in, each holding short, wooden swords.

"I'll do it!" 

"No, I'll do it!"

Another young man that Tea had never seen before stepped forward. He had coffee skin, violet eyes, and white hair. He looked an awful lot like…

"You!" someone in the crowd shouted angrily.

Ishizu put a protective hand on the youth's shoulder.

"This is Namu. He is—"

"The brother of the knave! And his name's not 'Namu' either!"

"It is true," Namu said. "My name is Malik Ishtar. Marik Ishtar is my brother. I want to prove my loyalty to our Queen Ishizu by volunteering my services to this battle."

The White Queen glanced at Ryo and slowly nodded. Returning her gesture, the white-haired boy unrolled the Oriculem, thrusting it forward until it rolled open all the way to the feet of Noah and Mokuba. Both boys gasped…..when they saw that the illustration of Tea killing the creature had not been even the slightest bit altered.

"No other slayer…" Noah muttered. "There's no way…"

Mokuba added, "If it ain't Tea…..it ain't dead."

Ishizu gave the siblings a look to silence them, then went to Tea's side. The girl's face was stricken….and almost green with fear.

"Tea…" the queen said gently. "You cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours….because when you step out to face that creature…you will step out alone."

Ishizu's words, though softly spoken, hit the brunette like a blow to the stomach. Looking out at the crowd and seeing each face looking at her so expectantly….suddenly reminded her of when Weevil asked for her hand under the gazebo. The pressure….the fear….the expectancy….it was all too much….and Tea finally just ran.

The White Queen hung her head sadly and her brother started to go after the girl. Bakura, however, held him back, giving him a look of "let her go." Yami gave a heavy sigh and silently cursed his insanity…..he was so angry at himself that the one thing Tea needed him to do, to take her place in this war….he was unable of doing.

Tea ran through the garden all the way to a beautiful sitting area. It had a single, marble bench and an ivy-wrapped stone archway that connected to safety railing. Beyond the safety railing was a breath-taking view of multiple waterfalls. The radiance and serenity of the view, however, currently had no effect on Tea….she was far too terrified.

The girl paced back and forth frantically, as if hoping the movement would take the awful thoughts swirling around in her brain away. Obviously, it did not, and she sat down on the bench. Tears slid down Tea's face, dripping onto the marble ground as she desperately choked back sobs. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't say yes, and waste everyone's time by not being able to kill the Jabberwocky….but how could she say no after these people had loved her, made her feel at home for the first time since her father had died?

A gruff voice cut threw the brunette's shaking breaths

"Nothing has ever been solved through tears."

The girl looked up to see Seto's electric blue eyes focused on her tear-stained face.

"Seto…?" she wiped at her eyes. "What are you doing here? Where's Blue-Eyes?"

"She is being prepared for battle." The dragon rider went to sit beside Tea. "As for what I'm doing here, I'm here because those fools out there think that I can help you….though I don't know how I can possibly help you if you don't even know who you are, stupid girl."

"I'm not stupid!" Tea's reddened eyes narrowed with indignation. "My name is Tea, I live on the surface world. I have a horrid mother named Aerona, and my best friend and father was named Gareth. He was the only one who ever understood me until I came to this world. He was the only one I ever cared to impress until I came here and now I don't know what to do because I can't stand to let my new friends down….I am that man's daughter. Tea Gardner."

"Tea…at last." Seto rolled his eyes. "You were just as dim-witted the first time you were here…..you called it 'Wonderland' as I recall."

Tea gasped, a sudden memory tugging desperately, almost painfully at her brain.

"Wonderland…." She remembered her six-year-old self, meeting Bakura and having nearly the same conversation she'd had this time around…..sitting at the tea table with Ryo, Yami, and Yugi…meeting the twins….painting Vivian's roses red….

"All this time I thought they were dreams….they were memories. This place is real! You and Yami are real!"

"And…" Seto added darkly. "So is the Jabberwocky. Remember, the Vorpal Sword knows what it wants. All YOU have to do…is hold on to it."

"They're all real…" Tea's eyes widened. "And….they're all counting on me…"

Tea fastened an armored bridle to her white horses face, glancing behind every so often to see if Tea was coming. It seemed however….that she was not. The White Queen glanced at Yami, who was holding the Vorpal Sword firmly in one hand. Though he looked calm, she could see his knuckles whitening as he clutched the hilt, and couldn't help but feed off his anxiety herself. Noah, Mokuba, Joey, Ryo, Yugi, and Silverfang also stood back, each trying to look as brave as the next.

Behind them, the army of good duel monsters were standing at the ready in their silvery armor. Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, Magician of Black Chaos, Chimera, the Magnet Warriors, Mirage Dragon, Luster Dragon, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and countless other creatures were all assembled…..but Ishizu couldn't help but worry that the army of her step-sister….was far larger.

She was just about to mount her horse….when the sound of giant wing beats filled the air. Everyone gasped, looked up…..and saw Tea and Kaiba, each riding on their respective dragons of ebony and snow. They landed on the front line, and Yami couldn't help but stare in awe at Tea. She looked ferocious yet stunning, wearing shining armor that conformed to her every curve, her chocolate hair swinging freely, and a look of brave determination sparkling in her sapphire eyes.

The girl gave a nod to the queen….and with that everyone took off towards the battle ground. Tea grabbed Yami's hand and helped him onto Red-Eyes' back. She turned around to look at him, a playful smile on her lips.

"You ready?"

Yami grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Whenever you are, Milady."

Red-Eyes and Blue-Eyes leapt into the air, leading the rest of the army towards their designated meeting place. As they flew, Tea noticed that they seemed to be getting farther and farther away from the light of Mamoreal….and closer to the darkness of Salazen Grum. She was fairly confident about the vastness of their army…..until she beheld Vivian's forces.

There were zombies, fiends, beasts, and countless grotesque-looking creatures…..THOUSANDS of them…and all of them looked half-crazed into a fighting frenzy. Suddenly, the brunette's confidence faded and her hand resting on one of Red-Eyes' spikes began to tremble.

Keeping one arm wrapped firmly around her middle, Yami reached forward and placed his hand on Tea's to stop its shaking. She turned to look at him.

"Relax, beautiful warrior," the hatter murmured in his deep, haunting voice. "I promise…as long as I'm around, nothing will happen to you. I swear on that as I swear on the fact that a raven is like a writing desk."

The girl smiled and nodded bravely. She took a deep breath….and directed her dragon downwards…onto the swarming battle ground.

**I hope you liked it and please review :)! Sorry this chapter is so short, I wanted to try to break the last part up into two parts.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


	8. Off With the Jabberwock's Head

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**

**Here's the final chapter :)!**

**ImmortalAngel92: **

**Bakura: Why am I so bloody nice in this?**

**BlackRose: Because you've been a bad guy in like three of my stories.**

**Bakura: I AM a bad guy!**

**BlackRose: Don't make me ask Angel to get Vivian!**

**Death101-Fox Version: Thanks:)! Facepalming myself at the quote (yeah, that was supposed to be Ishizu instead of Tea XD). Sorry about that :).**

**Sailorblaze: Haha, I spelled his name like that to differentiate him from Yami Marik XD. I like the idea of RyoxSerenity too, so it'll appear this chapter :). One of the one-shots is an alternate Revolutionshipping event at the end of the Waking the Dragons arc and the other is going to be a season 0 story about Yami helping Joey when his gambling, alcoholic dad is being a jerk. The season 0 one will have a shadow game.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! I felt bad for excluding Hikari Marik, so I decided to stick him in at the end.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! I do want to do Edward Scissorhands at some point, but I don't have the movie and I've only seen it once, so I may wait a little while. I know I'm going to do the animated Sinbad movie (the one with Brad Pitt and Michelle Feifer) and I may end up changing it to Egyptian mythology rather than Greek. Before I work on that though, I'm working on some one-shots :).**

**Dany14-black8: Gracias :)! The final battle is about to commence XD!**

**MutantEnemy6789: Haha, couldn't resist interrupting the kiss XD! **

**EmyBlossom93: Thanks, I love Alice and Yugioh too XD.**

**Seabreeze27: Thanks :)! I will definitely keep writing :).**

The rival forces were gathered on opposite sides of a battlefield that slightly resembled a chessboard. It rested near the ebony ocean beneath a silvery blue sky shrouded with dark clouds. A few mangled trees along with a crumbling tower lined the boarder of the stone battlefield, all in all making it the perfect place….to wage war.

Dismounting their respective horses of light and dark, Ishizu and Vivian slowly and deliberately met in the center of the field. Tea and Yami slid down from Red-Eyes, watching as the two sisters faced each other.

"Hello, Vivian," Ishizu greeted politely.

The Red Queen responded with more disdain than politeness.

"Hello…Ishizu."

Ryo blew his trumpet and announced,

"On this, the Frabjous Day, the Queens Red and White shall send forth their champions to do battle on their behalf."

Ishizu sighed. "Oh, Vivie….we don't have to fight….please."

"I know what you're doing…" Vivian hissed, her eyes narrowing. "You think you can blink those pretty little eyes and I'll melt just like Mummy and Daddy did. Well I've got news for YOU sister! I am the real daughter! I deserve the crown!"

"You have NEVER deserved the crown," Yami growled from beside Tea.

The Red Queen's eyes flicked towards him….and they were filled with an intense fire of hatred he'd never seen before.

"I beg to differ, LITTLE brother….before you and Yugi were born, I was next and line to be the next ruler. Then you two came along….and the people adored you so much, I KNEW they would replace me! So…..when you and Yugi were around twelve and ten years old….I took action. Do you recall that little virus you and Yugi caught?"

The hatter's eyes widened. "You mean…that was…"

"Poison," Vivian smiled cruelly. "Unfortunately, it didn't work…and Mummy and Daddy found out it was me."

"That's why they banished you!" Yami's eyes glowed crimson and his voice grew strained. "You tried to kill us!"

"Exactly. Then they took in little miss perfect over here….and I was forced to dispose of them at that little tea party a few years ago. Now allow me to reunite you with an old FRIEND…..Jabberwocky!"

In the distance, a black mound that everyone had previously thought to be a mountain….began to move. It sizzled and cracked with purple electricity and a low growl emitted from its core. Gigantic black wings stretched out to either side, followed by a spiny, scaled head. The Jabberwocky roared with a mouth full of jagged teeth and its blood eyes glowed with murderous ferocity.

"This is impossible…" Tea whispered hoarsely.

"Only if you believe it is," was the hatter's firm reply.

The beast flew from its perch and landed heavily on the battlefield, making everyone and everything bounce slightly when it hit the ground with a heavy thud.

"Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast," the brunette murmured, glancing at her companion.

"That is an excellent practice," Yami replied, his eyes glowing crimson and his voice dark and gruff. "However….for the moment…you really might want to focus on the Jabberwocky."

The Jabberwocky stormed forward, violently knocking dead trees from its path with deadly claws and steel-like limbs.

Vivian looked at Ishizu and mockingly cackled,

"Where's YOUR champion, sister?"

"Right here," Tea approached carrying the Vorpal Sword and a shield, a determined gleam in her sapphire eyes.

The Red Queen scowled. "Hello, Um."

A sick smile on his lips, Marik led Vivian back as the Jabberwocky stalked forward. It gnashed its knife-like teeth and snarled, making the blue-eyed warrior's blood run cold.

"Six impossible things…" the girl murmured. "Count them, Tea. One….there's a potion that can make you shrink." The creature roared, spraying hot, rancid breath in her face. "Two…and a cake that can make you grow."

The Jabberwocky, strafed around her and sneered in a deep, booming voice,

"So, my old foe…we meet on the battlefield once again."

Tea blinked. "What? We've never met…"

"Not you, insignificant bearer! My ancient enemy, the Vorpal One!" the creature stuck its forked tongue out at her.

"That's enough chatter!" The brunette hissed and sliced the reptile's tongue off with one, fierce stroke.

The monster howled and slashed angrily with its tail, knocking Tea in the back and onto the ground. Yami cringed, fighting the madness within brought on by hatred for this creature.

"Three…" Tea panted. "Animals can talk…" she rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding Jabberwocky's claw strikes. "Four, Tea….white-haired boys can disappear into thin air."

The beast unleashed a stream of purple energy which was barely blocked by the girl's shield. "Five…there is a place called Underland! Six….I can SLAY…the Jabberwocky."

She moved forward, slicing and slashing, but not hitting anything. Tea ran underneath the creature, hoping to catch it off guard, but instead having her every move tracked by blood-red eyes. Attacking again, the girl finally manage to leave a nasty gash in the beast's face….but he retaliated, knocking her though the air and sending her crashing against a pile of stones. She moaned in pain and reached for the sword she'd lost while the hatter moved forward. He had already lost his parents to this thrice-accursed leviathan….there was no way he was losing Tea too.

Eyes blazing like freshly-drawn blood, Yami lifted his own sword and jammed it into the Jabberwocky's tail. It snarled and tried to slice him, but he ducked skillfully out of the way.

"My brother is interfering!" Vivian shrieked. "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"

Cracking his neck casually, Marik drew his rapier and began leading the dark troops forward. Yami grinned madly and did the same.

Snatching the Vorpal Sword, Tea led the Jabberwocky up the tower and away from the clashing soldiers. The beast was so large that she did not want to risk it taking out entire groups of Ishizu's forces all at once. The brunette ran up a crumbling stone staircase, nearly falling off when a break in the road appeared out of nowhere. She leapt to the other side and clambered forward.

Finally make it to a flat level on the second floor of the tower, Tea peered through several broken pillars to the battle below. Mokuba sat on Noah's shoulders, slashing high at the enemy while the other slashed low. Yugi rode on Silverfang's back, gasping when he heard the tell-tale roar of Black Rose Dragon behind him. He took his sword and thrust it with all his might, landing the blade in the beast's eye and leaving it vulnerable for Slifer the Sky Dragon to finish off. The other dragons, Red Eyes and Blue Eyes, were busy too, waging battle with the dark dragons of the opposing force.

Finishing off the enemy he was fighting, Ryo drew a startled breath when a high yelp pierced his ears. He turned to see a Goblin Zombie hovering over a beauteous girl his age with reddish brown hair and chocolate eyes. Growling, the white-haired boy heaved his weapon and skewered the grotesque creature.

"Are you all right?" he asked, helping the beauty to her feet.

The girl nodded and smiled at him gratefully. "Yes….My name is Serenity."

"I'm Ryo."

Nodding, Serenity leaned up and planted a kiss on Ryo's cheek, saying, "I thank you for saving my life…Ryo."

If there hadn't been a battle going on, the white-haired boy was sure he would have blissfully fainted right then and there.

Eyes like gleaming rubies, Yami fought quite skillfully against Marik, parrying his every blow and launching clever attacks of his own. Unfortunately, it seemed that each opponent was evenly matched, so neither did any damage to the other. Locking blades with his rival, the knave sneered,

"You seem to be pretty fond of that brunette beauty up there with the Jabberwocky…how does she feel about you…?"

The hatter avoided Marik's eyes, making him chortle sardonically.

"Ah, you haven't asked her….unfortunately, you'll never get that chance. When this is all over and the queen lops off your head…Tea will belong to ME. And I plan to do WHATEVER I want with her!"

Yami snarled with anger and used pure adrenaline to shove the knave backwards. Marik actually looked surprised and barely had time to block before the spiky-haired youth unleashed a flurry of sword slashes in his direction.

Assured that none of her companions had been killed yet, Tea began slowly creeping backwards, eyes flicking to every possible place her foe could be hiding. A deafening screech made her whip around, and she barely leaped back before the Jabberwocky's jaws clamped down on her. Hiding behind a pillar, the girl forced her breathing to quiet down and tried to watch the creature in her peripheral vision.

Truthfully, Tea didn't need to watch—for the monster shot out a jet of amethyst lightening which missed her only thanks to the stone barricade at her back. Seeing that Jabberwocky's back was turned, the brunette tried to run…..only to have his thick tail smack her onto the next set of stairs. She rolled as he threw a chunk of rock at her and took off up the winding path.

Tea ran up the stairs and barely avoided the beast's teeth when she was forced to run underneath it. She eventually made it to the top….but there was no where else to run. For the top was a broken bit of stone only about three feet in diameter….and the Jabberwocky was looming over her, its horrid figure silhouetting in the pallid sunlight.

On the ground, Yami found himself on the underside of a desperate sword lock. Fortunately, however, he was insightful enough to poke Marik in the eye and knock him off balance, shoving him to the unforgiving ground. Yami's face twisted into a sadistically gleeful expression, eyes gleaming blood-like as he raised his blade to plunge into the knave's exposed chest.

Meanwhile, Tea ducked the Jabberwocky's jaws, yelping as it rained rubble onto her head. Glaring determinedly, she jumped off the tiny stone platform and onto the creature's neck, barely hanging on as he tried to shake her. He thrashed violently about, moving his neck upward and launching the girl into the air. Ironically, this little maneuver….was his undoing.

Raising the Vorpal Sword into the air, Tea took advantage of her downward velocity. With one, mighty heave, she brought the blade down…..straight through the Jabberwocky's neck.

"Off with your head!" she snarled and landed back on the stone tower.

When the tell-tale "snick" sound was heard…..a collective gasp sounded across the battlefield as the looming body fell into the ocean…..and the reptilian head bounced down the staircase….and settle lifelessly on the ground. Seeing that the battle was done, Yami glared into Marik's frightened eyes….but tossed his rapier aside, choosing the honorable thing and letting his enemy live.

While everyone else was in shock, Vivian was in a purple rage.

"KILL HER!"

"We follow you no more!" snarled Vampire Lord. "Vivian the Viper."

"How dare you!" the Red Queen hissed. "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"

The other dark forces, however, merely rolled their eyes and tossed their weapons aside. The war was over….and they were no longer obliged to serve the awful woman. Vivian gasped and shrieked when her golden crown suddenly flew off her head. It floated through the air, changing from gold to silver….and Bakura materialized, placing it gently on the White Queen's head.

Breathing as if the return of her crown was a relief of physical pain, Ishizu glared sternly at her step-sister and announced,

"Vivian of Crims, your crimes against Underland are worthy of death. However, that is against my vows. Therefore you are banished to the Outlands." Ishizu's face looked genuinely pained as she continued. "No one is to EVER show you any kindness or ever speak a word to you. You will have not a friend in the world."

Yami stood protectively at the side of his step-sister as Marik sauntered forward.

"Majesty, I hope you bear ME no ill will…."

The hatter's lips curled into a snarl but the White Queen held him back, saying,

"Only this one, Marik Ishtar." A few zombies crept up and shackled The Red Queen and knave's wrists together. "You are to join Vivian in banishment from this day until the end of Underland."

The knave's face paled and Vivian looked up at him with soft eyes.

"At least we still have each other…" she cooed in her usual wretched voice.

That was the last straw. NO WAY was Marik going to spend the rest of his life with this horrid woman. He whipped out a dagger to drive into Vivian's heart….only to have Yami threw a hat pin at him, skewering his wrist and making him drop the knife.

"Majesty!" Marik wailed pitifully. "Please kill me! PLEASE!"

Ishizu stared into his eyes coldly as the guards dragged both outsiders away.

"But I do not owe you a kindness."

While the knave pleaded and sobbed to be executed, Vivian seemed to be only just then comprehending what had happened.

"He tried to kill me…" she muttered….and her mutter turned into a scream. "HE TRIED TO KILL ME!"

Both villains were shamefully hauled away while Tea reunited with her friends, relieved that seemingly none of them had been killed in the battle. She laughed when Red-Eyes galloped over to her, licking her face with his long, forked tongue.

Taking a small vile from her dress, Ishizu strolled over to the Jabberwocky head and held it under one of the fangs. She gagged as a stream of purple blood dripped from the tooth and halfway filled the tube.

"Blood of the Jabberwocky," the woman smiled and approached Tea. "You have our everlasting gratitude. And for your efforts on our behalf…" she handed the girl the vile. "This is for you. It has the power to grant an individual one wish. Any wish. You could even ask to return to your world if you like….or you could stay with us and wish for something else. The choice is yours."

The brunette thought for a moment. What could she possibly wish for? There was zero chance of her wanting to return to the surface world….but truth be told, she had everything she wanted right where she was. Tea looked up at the joyous faces of all her friends—Yugi, Joey, Ryo, Seto, Noah, Mokuba, Ishizu…..and the hatter.

She noted with concern that in spite of the war's climax….his eyes were still blood red. When would they revert back? Would they revert back at all…? That….was when the girl realized her wish.

Tea closed her eyes….and inaudibly whispered,

"I wish….that Yami's mind…was whole again."

Upon hearing the youth gasp, Tea smiled and turned around to watch. A cloud of purple energy surrounded his body…and Yami let out a sigh of relief…like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He opened his eyes….and they were once again sparkling amethyst. He looked at her, utterly confused.

"What did you…?"

"The Queen said I could have anything I wished," the girl smiled lovingly. "I wanted you to have your sanity back again."

Yami abruptly stepped forward and embraced Tea tightly, surprising and delighting her at the same time.

"Thank you….y-you didn't h-have to do that…." The hatter sounded as if he were overcome. "I am forever indebted to you."

Tea winked. "Let's just call it even."

With that final statement, the entire crowd let out a cheer…..and Tea and Yami imperceptibly laced their fingers together.

That night, a glorious celebration was held. Everyone congregated together, fairy and zombie alike, partaking in a huge feast as well as game tournaments. Bakura finally got to challenge Yami to Duel Monsters….and was completely overtaken by the hatter's prodigious skills. Joey ran about, spastically but happily, making sure that everyone at the party had enough food while the twins mainly hovered at the food table.

Leaning against a table where he could survey the crowd, Bakura smiled when Yami casually came to join him.

"Hey there, Mutou. Are you still the King of Games, or did somebody finally hand you your first defeat?"

The hatter shrugged. "Nah, I'm still champion. Decided I should give the other players a break, though. Hey, look…" Yami grinned and pointed. "Looks like your brother scored some points on the battlefield today."

Sure enough, Ryo was on the dance floor, slowly swaying back and forth with Serenity in his arms and grinning blissfully.

Bakura smirked. "So did YOUR sibling. I saw him hanging out with some blonde girl named Rebecca awhile ago."

"Yeah…" the hatter shuffled anxiously. "Hey…have you seen Tea around."

"Yeah, she went out into the garden a little while ago." Bakura grinned knowingly. "Go get her, my friend."

Tea stood at the place where she'd remembered her last visit to Underland—the sitting area with the amazing waterfall view. She looked stunning, wearing a sparkly, sleeveless white dress and her hair tied up with silver pins. Finally, it seemed she was able to enjoy the view. A soft blanket of shadow rested over the land and silvery mist rose up from the rushing waterfalls, making the whole scene picturesque.

"Hello there, Milady."

The brunette smiled and turned around to see…Yami. He was dressed in dark pants and a nice black shirt, his hair sticking up freely without his hat. He went to stand beside her, gazing out at the stunning landscape…..but caring only that the girl of his dreams was by his side.

"You were amazing today….I knew you could slay that horrible creature."

Tea smiled. "I couldn't have done it if it weren't for you and the others….the fact that you were all counting on me….it gave me the incentive I needed to fight. I wanted to see what it was like to live in Underland with all of you in a time of peace rather than war."

"I'm really glad you decided to stay…" the hatter shuffled nervously as she turned to face him. "Tea, I….I…" he blinked….and then suddenly exclaimed, "Oh forget about it…"

Yami grabbed Tea's face between his hands and crushed his mouth against hers. The girl was shocked at first….but soon moaned and responded eagerly. The hatter backed her up against a wall, his hands sliding down to her hips while hers tangled into his unruly hair. In that one kiss, all the tension and the awkward invisible barrier keeping them from expressing how they felt….came crumbling down. They put all their passion, love, and adoration into it…and were left breathless when they finally broke away.

"Yami…." Tea began, willing her breathing to go back to normal. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

Yami smiled slyly, arching a thin, ebony eyebrow.

"I haven't the slightest idea," he replied…and captured her lips in his once again.

**The end :)! I hope you liked it and please review. I'm not one hundred percent positive what I'm going to do next (other than a few one-shots). Also, I'm going out of town again next week so I won't be able to update. Thanks for all your awesome comments and advice on this story :)!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ALICE IN WONDERLAND**


End file.
